1 Boy, 7 Billion Dead Guys Season Two: TV Show Season Two
by Spacedragon1999
Summary: In the Aftermath of the CDC fiasco, the group heads on its way to Fort Benning, but hit a big snag when a treasured member goes missing during an attack. At Herschel Greene's farm, they find a safe haven. With secrets and lies around every corner, Jack McKenzie must navigate who to trust and who to kill in a world where nobody can be trusted. DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WALKING DEAD
1. Prologue

**Hi guys!**

**Here we go! The beginning of Season 2 of the TV Show!**

**I won't bother with some stupid introduction, so let's just get started!**

**Prologue**

125 miles.

Sounds very far. It is, especially on the road with our supplies dwindling every single day. My Old Group didn't have as much as we thought, but at least they're not alive anymore, to pillage, plunder, rob and murder.

Rick, Carl, Lori, Sophia, Carol, Shane, Andrea, Dale, Daryl, Glenn, T-Dog and my baby sister Riley are my reason for surviving now. I barely know them, but... I feel a responsibility towards each and every single one. Rick's becoming morose and doubtful regarding himself, though Lori, Carl and I are trying to raise his spirits. The CDC, while being a bust, was the best decision at the time.

Right now we're preparing to set sail for Fort Benning. Maybe Natalie'll be there. I hope so. I couldn't bare if Riley only had me to look up to. I'm not exactly the role model for kiddies; I've stolen, tortured, killed. I'm only 13 but I've already turned into a monster.

But that's the way the world is now.

Sophia's nudging me, a playful smile on her face. Even throughout everything she's remained innocent. Pure. I admire that about her, though I can't help but worry. If she gets seperated from the group... I don't even want to think about it. And now she's annoying me with thoughts of food (I knew teasing her and Carl on the way to the CDC was a bad idea).

I just gave her a kiss to shut her up. She rolled her eyes and stroked Riley's cheek before helping her mother stack up their burden of supplies. I should probably help.

... nah.

Oop, there's Rick coming over to us, announcing that we needed to get moving. I climb into the Cherokee and fuss over Riley. As I sit here writing this, I have to note that my heart is swelling. I don't know if it's a good thing. Riley, Sophia and Carl keep my humanity here, but is it worth it if I get too soft to protect them?

I don't know, but I can only wait and see.

I checked my arm. 43 cuts. 43 days since the world went to hell. I add today's cut, making it 44.

Riley's crying again, so I bring her into my arms and coddle her. She immediately stops crying and begins gurgling happily at the sight of her big brother. I don't bother to stop the wolfish grin making its way across my face.

Once she falls asleep I place her back in her carrier, kiss Sophia and the car gets on its way.

I don't know what lies ahead, but I wouldn't want to face it with anyone else.

My name is Jack McKenzie, and this group is my family.

And I'll hack through every walker I need to to keep it that way.

* * *

**So, how's the prologue? Good enough for your expectations? **

**Sorry it's been so long, but I've been finishing Use Me and playing Watch_Dogs, so... yeah.**

**Anyways, see you guys next time!**

**SD OUT**


	2. What Lies Ahead Part 1

**Hi guys!**

**Here's the first proper chapter for the new story.**

**Chapter 1  
**

We were riding down the highway, myself, Riley, Sophia, Carol, Rick, Lori and Carl in the Cherokee as Rick bounded down after the RV. I felt seriously tired, my eyelids threatening to force me to sleep like Sophia, Carol and Riley. The wind blew past us, keeping the scorching Georgia heat from burning my skin. My hand was locked with my girlfriend's as I rubbed the back of her hand, feeling the soft skin as it brought an unbidden smile to the corner of my lips. Carl turned around and made kissing faces, which I laughed at before faking a punch to his nose, forcing him to turn around and focus on the road. Rick laughed and Lori began speaking.

"I was just remembering our trip to the Grand Canyon with Carl," she told her husband with a reminiscent smile. Rick laughed as he remembered the trip and Carl looked confused as he leaned forward to his parents.

He said, "I don't remember that."

"Nah, you wouldn't. You were just a baby," Lori informed him. "And besides, we never made it past Fort Worth!"

"You got sick," Rick started humorously. "I never knew a baby could throw up so much!"

I laughed and smacked Carl's arm as he muttered, "Ick."

"Yeah, ick," his mother agreed.

I put in, "Has he changed much?"

"Nope," Lori replied and Carl looked betrayed. "But the doctor in Texas said he'd live. And we turned around and drove home."

"That sucks," Carl said dejectedly.

His mother told us, "Nah, it was a good trip."

"The best," Rick agreed.

"Can we go see it?" Carl asked excitedly and I rolled my eyes. "The Grand Canyon? I'd like too."

"I'd like it too," came a voice from beside me and I jumped as my girlfriend laughed. I didn't know she'd woken up. "Can we go?"

Rick turned around. "We'd never go without you and your mom," he promised. "Or you and Riley, Jack. That's a promise."

"Cool," I replied as Lori patted Sophia's knee. "Looks big in the postcards. My auntie and uncle came to America all the time. The Canyon, Texas, New York, L.A., Route 66... they've been all over."

We spent the next hour laughing and joking, with occasional bouts of me saying or doing something stupid and Sophia kissing me. Whenever she did I could feel my eyes glaze over and I felt like I did before, a carefree feeling filled me and I began to forget the horrors of the world when the RV suddenly stopped. I spotted Daryl go up to the RV, motion for Dale to follow him, and drive off again on Merle's motorbike.

As we started going through the highway I discovered what had brought the foul mood on us all. The place was a graveyard. Literally. The cars, trucks, vans etc. were filled with rotted dead bodies, the stench rising into my nostrils as flies zoomed around.

Sophia, Carl and Lori made disgusted sounds as they scrunched up their faces and covered their noses. Rick, Carol and I simply scrunched up our faces silently as we drove through the stink. I covered Riley's nose in case she woke up. Then the RV started whistling as smoke rose from its front.

We all got out and walked up to the RV as Dale announced, "I said it a thousand times. Didn't I say it? Dead in the water!"

"Problem, Dale?" Shane asked and the old man gave him a look.

He retorted, "Just a small matter of being stuck in the middle of nowhere with no hope of..." Then he spotted Daryl rummaging through a nearby station wagon for supplies. "Okay, that was dumb."

"We can find a radiator hose here."

"There's a whole buncha stuff we can find," Daryl muttered loud enough for us all to hear, not taking his eyes off his work.

T-Dog walked past us, saying, "We can siphon more fuel from these cars for a start."

"Maybe some water?" Carol suggested, holding onto Sophia, who was gripping my hand tightly.

We all made sounds of agreement when Lori dashed our hopeful mood with, "This is a graveyard." Then everyone (myself included) looked down, thinking about the lack of morality on what we were doing. "I don't know how I feel about this."

Don't ask me why, but I felt a small amount of anger at the statement. I let go of Sophia's hand and walked up to another car.

"Lori," I started tiredly, getting everyone's attention. "Nobody _likes_ this, okay? Now, you can either look at it as looting the graves of human beings, or you can see it for what it is: scavenging for supplies so that we can survive. I don't mean to sound cold-hearted, but they don't exactly need it, do they?" I got a few looks for that. "If we don't take it, either it'll rot to nothingness or other people'll take it. And for all we know, they could be the kind that'll rob you for all you've got then put a bullet in your brain. Would you rather they took it?"

"I'd rather it wasn't taken at all," Lori retorted, trying to glare at me. "I wasn't saying that we shouldn't take it. I only meant that we shouldn't lose sight of what we're doing here. Like it or not, these are these people's belongings. What right do we have to rob them when they can't defend themselves?"

"And if they were alive?"

"Then we ask for what we need."

"But they're not. And we are. And to stay alive in this world sometimes you have to do... unsavoury things."

Lori was about to argue my point when Daryl cut her off.

"Kid's talkin' sense," he told her. "We don't have to like it, but we're doin' what we have to."

Lori shut up after that. Shane told everyone to look around and gather what we could, then we all broke up into little groups.

Sophia, Carl and I went with Lori and Carol. We were looking into the cars when Carol said, "Kids, don't look." At that point I saw a bottle of water. I took it out and checked it. Unopened. Completely full. Surprisingly cool under the heat. I opened it and took a gulp, then offered it to the others. They all took a sip (though Lori scowled as she did so) then headed back to give some to Riley.

My baby sis was sitting on a navy-blue Mercedes next to the RV, awake and staring at Dale and Glenn curiously. They were talking to each other about how to keep it under control until they found another hose. Soon Dale saw Riley look at him and gave her a grandfatherly smile. He went over and let her grab his pinky.

"Hey, little girl," he started softly. "How are you doing?" Riley kept frowning at his pinky as she squeezed it. "You like it here with us? Yeah? Yeah?" Riley looked up at him and started giggling.

I walked up and stated, "She's as tight-fisted as her da." We both chuckled at that.

"Really?" he questioned with a grin.

I nodded, smiling. "Oh, yeah. Real cheapskate." I rested one arm on the car and offered the bottle to Dale.

"Nah," he refused, waving his hand. "Glenn looks like he's about to blow the thing up!" I looked and saw that he was right. Glenn was hitting the engine furiously, almost bursting the hose with the screwdriver. Dale hurried over and scolded him. I laughed and put the bottle to Riley's lips. She scowled and shook her head vigourously.

"Come on, Riles," I coaxed. "Just one little sip."

She shook her head again.

I sighed and poured some over her head, glinting her sprinkle of black hair in the sunlight as she sneezed and laughed, staring at me adorably. Her mouth opened in anticipation and I put the bottle to her lips, letting her drink a little bit before taking it away. She shoogled around in the carrier and I 'ruffled' her hair.

Carl came running up. "Jack!" he called and I turned around as he presented a green baby bottle. I grinned as I took it from him and checked it.

"Perfectly clean," I admired. "Unused. Brilliant!"

"Figured she could use it," he said with a grin before running off again.

I started playing with Riley, poking her nose and letting her grab mine when I heard Shane's voice, strangely dreamy-sounding.

"Glenn?" he called quietly, causing both of us to look at him. "Are we short on water?"

The next thing I saw was Shane pop the cap off of a 20-litre plastic canister of water in a whole truck full of them and let it run all over him. I laughed hysterically and sprinted off to him. I stood there staring at the miracle for a few seconds before popping the cap off of another and having a shower in the boiling Georgia daylight.

"Whoo!" I exclaimed, then filled the baby bottle, replaced the cap and ran back over to Riley before searching supplies with the others. I found 10 bottles, 5 cans of beans, some beef jerky (whatever that is) and a few toys for Riley. I sprinted back and sat the stuff in the RV, where I came across Andrea trying to put her pistol back together.

She gave me a half-smile and said, "I watched Shane do it earlier and figured I should try it."

I nodded, still grinning. "Well, you've got that the wrong way round. Mind if I bring Riley in?"

Andrea shook her head. "Thanks, and sure. If she does anything I'll call for ya." I nodded again then brought Riley in, sitting her on the opposite seat to Andrea. The baby just stared for a few seconds before breaking out into an adorable grin and gurgled as she waved her hands up and down.

"She likes you," I told the blonde before getting Riley to nod that she'd behave and went out. I found Carol, Carl and Sophia a good way up the road. "Hey," I greeted.

They returned the greeting and we were placing the supplies they'd found into the back of the Cherokee when Rick came bounding up behind us.

"Get down, now!" he hissed and we turned around to the sight of at least five dozen walkers stumbling up the path. I swallowed.

"Fuck my life," I muttered before Carl jumped under the Cherokee. Rick ducked under a station wagon. Lori and Carol headed under another truck and Sophia and I scrambled under another car near the edge.

We laid there and waited. I could see Carol crying as she tried to reach for Sophia but Lori held her back, not wanting to draw attention. Sophia snatched my hand again. I could see the fear in her eyes and heard her heavy breathing so I kissed her hand and gave her an encouraging smile. She seemed to calm down after that since she swallowed then gave me a determined nod.

"Good," I whispered, pecking her cheek. My thoughts turned to Riley.

Shit! Had Andrea noticed the herd yet? Would she save Riley or just herself? What if Riley started crying? Oh fuck fuck fuck! My heart was beating hard in my chest.

After a few minutes there was still no noise, which was a good sign.

Then a few dozen pairs of feet scuffed the ground next to us.

"Maybe not," I breathed. Sophia had scrunched her face up so I brought her in to a hug, letting her grasp my dark red shirt. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Carl edge further into the truck and Rick motion for his son to stay quiet. Eventually it seemed that they were all gone.

I couldn't help the ecstatic grin as I kissed Sophia. Then she tried to edge out from under the car. "No!" I hissed but it was too late.

Two walkers reached under the car and one more on the other side.

"Goddammit!" I couldn't help myself shout then took out my knife and stabbed the one walker in the eye. I grabbed Sophia and pulled her out. We got up and saw how wrong I'd been.

There were still a dozen walkers who'd seen us.

_"Shit..."_ I shakily breathed, yanking Sophia over the barrier and down the hill. A few walkers followed us. The valley below was filled with walkers but they were spread out. Sophia and I made our way into the forest, me slashing through walker brains. Eventually I stopped her.

"Listen," I told her, holding her face. "You take this," I held out my Python. "And you run back to the others, understand? Just keep going that way. If any get near you shoot them, okay?" Sophia was shaking her head.

"Wh-wha-what about y-you?" she stuttered.

I replied, "I'm gonna lead them away down that path," I pointed in the direction. "When I'm done I'll come back, alright?" Sophia shook her head, saying no, no, no. "Listen, there's no time!" I shouted, causing her to jump. Gently Sophia took the revolver. I knew this was probably it, so I gave her my picture of my family. "Promise me you'll look for Natalie."

Sophia just kept shaking her head, saying she wasn't going without me.

"Promise me!" I begged. After a moment Sophia nodded.

"I promise. We'll look for her."

I breathed shakily. "Okay... okay..." I remembered something.

I took out the necklace and placed it in her hand. "I got this in Atlanta. I want you to take it, okay?"

Sophia looked at the necklace and started crying. She nodded and hugged me tightly.

"You come back!" she ordered. "You come back!"

I nodded. "I will."

I knew this was probably the last time I'd see them, so I kissed her as passionately as I could. I kissed her again and looked her in the eye.

"Now, you go. Go!"

I pushed Sophia away and sprinted off in the other direction, screaming, "This way, you ugly motherfuckers! Dinner's over here!"

* * *

_Sophia's POV (Betcha weren't expecting that!)_

I ran as fast as I could, trying to forget what Jack was doing. He was probably going to die. I couldn't hear his yells anymore and my heart stopped for a second.

Oh, God, don't let him be dead.

I stopped and looked at the revolver and the necklace. I let a few tears escape before halting them and wiping them away. I ran back up again and reached the edge where I ran into a body and fell to the ground.

A walker!

I pointed my gun up and heard a familiar say, "Hey, hey, hey! It's me." Mr. Rick. "You alright? Nothing bit you? Nothing scratched you?"

I shook my head. "No."

"What about Jack?"

Tears began to well up. "He led them away. Told me to keep running. Is he going to be okay?"

Mr. Rick nodded vigourously. "Of course! He'll be just fine, we'll find him."

Then he brought me back to the others, leaving Jack behind.

I knew he was tough, but what if he got lost? Bit again? What if he got trapped?

I knew he was tough, but for the first time since I met him, I was really afraid for him.

Because he was probably going to die to save my life.

* * *

**There we go! Jack was seperated from the group instead of Sophia!**

**And no, HE IS NOT GOING TO MACON YET!**

**See you next time,**

**SD OUT**


	3. What Lies Ahead Part 2 & Chupacabra

**Hi guys!**

**Second chappie up now!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN THE WALKING DEAD!:(:(:(:(:(:(:(**

**Chapter**** 2**

_Rick's POV_

"Gone?" Carol asked disbelievingly, eyes wide. "What do you mean, _gone_?"

I took a deep breath, wiping the sweat from my forehead.

"Sophia said that... he led her out, gave her his revolver and ran off with the pistol, yellin' all kinds o' stuff. Gave her clear instructions on what to do," I responded, the atmosphere tense. The whole group cared about that kid in some way or another. "Told her to ask us to look for his other sister if anythin' happened to him."

Daryl spat on the ground, leaning against a nearby red Skoda. "Smart," he remarked. "Kept the gun with more bullets in case he gets ambushed, tells the girl how to get back, makes his last request in case sumthin' happens."

The last sentence stuck a ball of bile in my throat, forcing me to swallow. I didn't want to think about the implication.

Carl was looking down, eyebrows furrowed in either concentration or frustration. Concentration on what to do now, and frustration about his best friend always running off and almost getting killed.

"We can't just leave him out there," Lori stated firmly. "He's got a hard exterior, but he's still a child. He's still gonna be freaking out, he's just good at hiding it. We need to look." Shane set his jaw and fiddled with the butt of his shotgun.

He said, "Well, uh... normally I'd agree, but... it's probably in our best interests if we just trust the kid's survival ability and continue to scour the area, look for supplies, set up a perimeter for the night and if he's not back by morning, we assume the worst and move on." I could see by his licking his lips that he didn't really believe anyone would agree. He was right.

Though I wasn't expecting Jack's defender to be Daryl.

"Are you shittin' me?!" he exclaimed, hoisting his crossbow to rest on his shoulder. "Y'all do what ya like, but I ain't leavin' the kid out there with no-one lookin' for him! I'm goin' in in 10 minutes. Anybody who wants to come is welcome. The rest o' y'all-"

"Daryl," I cut him off warningly. "We're not leavin' him behind." The thought of doing so made me tighten my fist. "Daryl, Glenn, Shane, we move out in 10."

When we started to break up I went into the RV to see Sophia sitting at the table, holding the pendant of a silver necklace in her hand whilst the chain stayed around her neck. Her eyes seemed distant, far away, as though searching for something that wasn't there, though she knew it should be. The look on the girl's face was pained, depressed, yet hopeful and lively. The Python was sitting on the table, barrel aimed away from little Riley, thankfully. I walked over and sat opposite her.

"Hey," I began, and Sophia's eyes snapped up to me. "We're gonna find him. Y'know that, right?" To my surprise Sophia half-smiled but shook her head acceptingly.

She replied tiredly, "Mr. Rick... I know chances are he's dead already." The comment threw me off-balance. "He's good at surviving, has a tendency to live when he should die, but... even cats only have nine lives. I think he's used his up." Her mood picked up. "Still, there's a good chance we'll find him."

"We?" I repeated.

"Yeah, we," I heard a voice before turning around to meet my son's eyes. "We're coming with you, dad."

I immediately shook my head. "Not right now, Carl." At the sight of their rebellious expressions I elaborated. "Jack probably isn't even that far. If we don't find him in our first sweep, I will talk to your mothers and if they agree I promise you can come."

* * *

Daryl was in front, followed by Glenn, then Shane, and I was at the back with my revolver. Daryl had his trademark crossbow and Glenn and Shane were carrying shotguns. Well, Shane was carrying his, Glenn was hefting his more, although the look on his face could be nervousness or him being focused.

Daryl suddenly dipped down and inspected the ground more closely.

"He was doin' just fine 'till right here," he muttered, pointing at a particular dent in the leaves. "All he had to do was keep goin'. He veered off that way," his finger turned to the darker section of the trees.

Glenn inquired confusedly, "Why would he do that?"

"He saw somethin'," Shane assumed, looking at Daryl. "Spooked him. Made him run off."

"Walker?"

Daryl shook his head slowly. "Don't see any other footprints," he told us. "Just his."

"So what do we do?" Shane asked me. "Follow these prints along?"

I replied immediately, "No, better if you and Glenn get back up to the highway. People are gonna start panicking."

Shane stood up and I continued.

"Let them know we're on his trail, doin' everythin' we can, but most of all _keep everybody calm._"

"I can keep 'em busy scavenging cars," Shane suggested. "Can think up a few other chores. I'll keep 'em occupied." He turned to Glenn. "Come on." Then the both of them walked away, and me and Daryl followed Jack's trail, the brown leaves crunching under our feet.

* * *

Daryl slowed up and looked around for a bit and my heart pumped a little faster.

"Tracks are gone?" I asked worriedly. Daryl shook his head and leaned down, continuing on his way.

He said, "Nah, they're faint, but they ain't gone." He pointed at something I couldn't see. "He came through here.

"How can you tell?" I inquired, not entirely sure if he was positive. "I don't see anything. Dirt, grass..."

"Ya want a lesson in trackin' or ya wanna find that boy, get his ass on that interstate?"

I didn't bother answering as we followed the non-existent tracks.

* * *

There was nothing to hear except the chirping of birds and our trekking through the woods. Nothing to see except dirt, leaves, grass, trees. Nothing to smell except sweat and shit.

Well, not to me anyway.

Daryl was confidently marching through, crossbow hoisted and eyebrows narrowed in concentration.

Until suddenly a loud rustle nearby got us crouched almost to our knees, senses alert and weapons in the air.

I motioned for Daryl to follow me and (as quietly as I could) led the way to the cliff edge. When we got there, we saw nothing except a single walker, trudging through stupidly as it groaned. I looked at Daryl and he silently directed me to go around the front as he went to the back and we would take down the walker together.

I moved into the walker's line of sight and whistled. Daryl crept up behind the monster as it reared its ugly head and bellowed a large growl before he released an arrow into the back of its head, taking it down clean. We both walked up to the walker and Daryl effortlessly yanked his arrow out of the walker's head.

"Jack!" he called. Ignoring him, I leaned down and checked the walker's hands with a glove. "Whatcha lookin' for?"

I replied, "Skin under the fingernails." I turned it around and looked at its mouth. "It fed recently," I continued as I pulled something out. "Flesh stuck in its teeth."

"Yeah, but what kinda flesh?"

I swallowed, not liking where this was heading. "Only one way to know for sure." Then I pulled out my Stanley knife and ripped open the shirt, about to cut into the dead guy's stomach when Daryl stopped me.

"Here, I'll do it," he offered, pulling out his large hunting knife, which trumped my own by miles. "Only kills your skin and ends your life, anyway. And mine's' sharper." I watched as the hunter leaned down and stabbed into the walker's stomach, digging downwards as blood spat up. As if it weren't enough, he did a second time, then a third time, getting some blood on my face. "That was the bad part," he commented once he was finished.

Then he dug his hands in, maneuvering through the walker guts and groaning as the cold blood contrasted with the heat of the sun. He began pulling random things out, black and sticky, then dumping them right next to me. I didn't say anything. He pulled out something long and stretchy, extending a metre from the walker and making the both of us retch and cover our mouths. When he'd tossed it aside he stuck his hands in again and leaned in.

"Yeah," he announced. "Hoss had a big meal not long ago. Can feel it in there."

He yanked out a big filthy bag and dumped it in between us.

"Get back," I told him, though I really didn't want to. "I got this." I sliced into the bag and picked something out with my Stanley before throwing the goo away. Daryl had more luck, sticking his knife in and pulling out some kind of bird.

"This bastard him himself a woodchuck for lunch," Daryl muttered disgustedly, tossing it away.

I said, "At least we know," and we both got up. The hunter agreed.

"At least we know."

* * *

We hiked up the hill and onto the highway, immediately ambushed by Lori.

"You didn't find him?" she asked worriedly as the whole group came over.

I replied, "Trail went cold. We'll pick it up again at first light." Shane sighed and rubbed his forehead.

Sophia's eyes widened at the sight of us. "Is that... blood?" she asked quietly, pointing at us.

I licked my lips. "We took down a walker, but it wasn't anywhere near Jack."

Andrea narrowed her eyebrows. "How can you know?"

"We cut the sumbitch open," Daryl admitted bluntly. "Made sure. 'Sides, if it was near him it'd either have a hole in its head or sumthin' stickin' out its mouth _and_ a hole in its head." Most of the group shared a small chuckle.

I exhaled. "Right. Everyone get some sleep. We'll be up bright and early. Might have a long day ahead."

* * *

_Skip to Episode 5: Chupacabra (just as Daryl is coming out of the_ forest)

_Andrea's POV_

I was sitting on top of the RV with the rifle in my hands as Rick came running up.

"Is this the one?" he asked pointing at the forest and I looked over with Dale's binoculars. There was a walker in a beige-green vest, covered in muck, filth and blood as it stumbled towards us.

I smirked. "Bet I can nail it from here."

"No," our 'leader' ordered. "No, Andrea, put the gun down." I kept the rifle aimed at the walker for a few seconds before lowering it.

"You best let us handle this!" came another voice from behind.

"Shane, hold up! Herschel wants to deal with walkers!"

"What for, man? We got it covered."

"Dammit!" I heard Rick hiss as he, Shane, Glenn and T-Dog ran to the walker. After a few moments of deliberation I decided to aim at the walker again. To hell with Herschel. And to hell with Rick, too! I'd finally be able to prove myself. Able to prove that I could protect the group as well as any of them.

Then the sunlight was blocked by a stray cloud and I saw that it was Daryl.

My eyes widened and I let go of my breath. I'd almost shot Daryl. Whoo, that was close. But what the hell was up with him? He looked insane. Then an actual walker came up behind him, even filthier than him. So much blood covered it that I couldn't even make out its face. All I could see was the red hoodie, dirty grey t-shirt and jeans and the mop of almost-shoulder length black hair. But I knew it was headed for Daryl. I just knew it.

I grinned. I wouldn't just prove myself; I'd save our resident hunter in the process.

So I took the shot. Right through the eye. YES!

"NO!"

The grin was wiped from my face immediately as I hopped off the ladder. I ran past Herschel, who was yelling for an explanation to the small group, the rest of our own group and Herschel's family right behind me. When I got to the walker, I saw what I'd killed. Scratch that: w_ho_ I'd killed.

The mop of jet black hair.

The deep, intense brown eyes.

The hoodie.

The jeans.

The teenage facial hair.

The sneakers.

The newly impacted hole through the eye.

I'd shot Jack.

* * *

_Jack's_ POV

I leaned against the tree, groaning from the pain. Earlier I'd tripped off a cliff and almost broke my leg, if not for the pond. Or at least... I think I did, anyway.

I was caked in slime, guts, blood... name something disgusting and I probably had it all over my body.

I stumbled forward to the sight of a familiar man with a crossbow who looked as bad as me. Looking past him, I saw Rick, Shane, Glenn and T-Dog. Grinning, I made my way towards them.

Rick caught sight of me and gasped. "Jack?" I grinned even wider. I probably looked insane to everyone.

That's when the bullet burst through my skull.

And that... was the second time I died.

* * *

**There we go! Will Jack die?**

**Of course not!**

**Well... maybe if you don't review.**

**So if you want our 13-year-old badass to live, don't forget to READ AND REVIEW!**

**SD OUT**


	4. Chupacabra Filler

**Hi guys!**

**I know I skipped four episodes, but I didn't want to add this whole repetitive 'searching for days' thing, when nothing's changed except a few lines from Sophia. I felt that this would be cleaner and a better choice.**

**Regardless, it's done.**

**Reply to Rebel29: I know it's repetitive, but I'd always wanted Jack to be disabled in some way, so that he wasn't as 'all-powerful' as he can sometimes appear. Taking away his hand or leg would be too much this early on, and I intend to take away at least one thing precious to him in each season, and for him to receive a serious injury in every season too. Also, I've always seen Jack with one eye, so people have a reason to take him seriously besides his mature demeanour.**

**Here's the next chapter!**

**Chapter 3**

"Hey, Jack!" came the angelic voice next to me as I tried to sort the ammunition. The shotgun, revolver and pistol were done, just had to gather the rifle ammo now. I looked to my side and smiled. Wiping the grime and grease from my face with the towel and crouched down.

My eyes were the warmest since my mum. "Hey, Little Wing. You okay?"

My little sister nodded her head, grinning wide as her innocent cerulean eyes sparkled. Her freshly-cleaned unbuttoned white shirt with different coloured stars on it had splashes of red paint on it.

"Yeah! Hoyt's showing me how to paint before you go today!" Then she frowned. "Why do you have to go today?"

I bit my lip, not breaking the smile. I placed my hands on her shoulders and massaged them. "I need to learn, Natalie. You know that. This way I can help protect camp! Keep you safe!" I replied excitedly, hardly able to wait to prove myself to Dad.

If I could just be able to fight, he wouldn't blame me for Mum anymore! He might even trust me with bigger things! We'd all be a family again after this, I just knew it!

"But why do you have to go out _there_ to learn? Why can't you stay here and do it?"

I made the mistake of looking at her face after glancing over at Hoyt, the runner brothers, my dad and my brother. She was pouting.

Pouting.

Natalie. Pouting.

Never a good thing to look at; you'd crumble instantly.

My face twitched as I failed to look away. Luckily I was saved as Mickey shouted over at me.

"Hey, kid!" he called, waving me over. "Time to go!"

Natalie broke the pout and threw her arms around my neck. I held her tiny little frame in my arms, her face buried in my chest.

"Bye, Little Wing," I whispered. "Love you."

"Love you too, big brother," she replied quietly, but something was off about her voice. She was almost... snarling.

My little sis was snarling?

She tore her head from my chest and I couldn't do anything but stare. Her lovely, naive blue eyes were now a pale, dim grey, no light in them at all. Her soft, luscious blonde hair was now filthy and stringy. Her small, pink mouth was covered in the same red liquid as her shirt, which I now realised was blood. Blood. She was dead?

My little sister was dead?

No way! No! No, no, no, no, no!

My fears were cut off as the Walker in the Star Shirt lunged for my throat.

Terror pumping through my veins, my heart slowed to a stop as I fought against her, no, _it_, with my seemingly powerless forearm. I yelled for help but looking around I saw that they were all dead too.

Everyone?

'Natalie' was growling and hissing, jaws wide open as it tightened its grip on my neck. Suddenly what little blood I had left in my veins ran cold. Freezing, even.

What reason was left? Everyone I knew was a walker now, stumbling forward to their next meal. I had no-one left.

I had no-one left.

Tears flooded down my cheeks and my grip weakened. My life was over. It was pointless to resist.

A set of sharp teeth fastened around my neck as everything went dark.

...

My eyes snapped open and I shoved my self sitting against the pillow, my breath heavy and my head cold. It was just a nightmare, Jack. Just a nightmare. I wiped the sweat from my forehead and looked around.

I was in a rather homely room: there was some old-fashioned brown wallpaper with a flower design covered the bottom half of the walls, cream paint on the top half. The darkness of the night was cast away by the warm light of the lamp on the bedside table to my left. A set of drawers was pushed up to the wall beneath the window, with decorated white curtains, cotton by the look of them. A small wooden chair was on my right, which I could tell had been used recently. Had someone been watching me sleep?

Glancing at my hands I noticed they were freshly washed. How? Touching my cheek with my right hand, I noticed my face had been too. Did someone bathe me while I was asleep?

Wait. Something was wrong. My eyesight seemed to be more like a circle than normal sight. And it was on my right side...

I raised my left hand and realised, to my horror, that my left eye was bandaged.

What the fuck! My fucking eye!

Breathing fast, I snapped my eyes, well, eye, to the bedside table and noticed a small oval mirror. I wrapped the bandages off and snatched it up. Oh, fucking God...

A large hole had torn through my eye, coming out of the side of my head.

I only had one eye. _One fucking eye?!_

I was dead. So, so dead. A walker was bound to sneak up on my left side, and I would never notice until it was right on me, with its teeth gnashing through my flesh.

Wait, where was I?

Before I could even start to suggest an answer a familiar brown-haired man came in, a grim expression on his face at first, but it lightened when he saw me, and ended up giving a small smile.

"Jack," Rick muttered, as though not believing it at first as he sat down. "You gave us quite a scare." He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "How you holdin' up?"

Snorting, I looked Rick in the eyes with a look that I hoped conveyed 'Really? You just asked me that?' It probably said 'Help me!'

"'Bout as good as I look," I voiced, realising that my voice was broken and my throat burning. Then again I hadn't eaten or drunk anything in days. I hadn't spoken either. "Who tried to kill me?"

"Me," a familiar voice mumbled, and Andrea looked at the ground as she came in. "Thought you were a walker." I raised my eyebrows.

"That ugly, am I?" I held off a smirk as she sighed.

Andrea told me, "Sun was in my eyes. Sorry." Rick glared heavily at her.

"S'alright," I reassured her as calmly as I could. "Just... please try not to put a bullet through my other eye. I kinda need it even more now." Andrea swallowed before exiting.

I exhaled, asking Rick, "So... where are we?"

A half-smile landed on the corner of his lip. "Herschel's farm. He's been kind enough to let us stay, under certain conditions."

"Such as?"

"He and his family deal with any walkers, we help around the farm and earn our keep, we don't make trouble. Those are the most important ones, I think. When you're feeling alright come out and meet them, after you put this on, of course."

He held out a long string with a patch in the middle.

"An eyepatch?" I chuckled. "Well, I always wanted to be a pirate." I took the patch from him and tried to tie it around the back of my head, but I couldn't quite get it. My hands just wouldn't obey me.

Giving a short laugh, Rick took it off me and did it properly, so that it was tight enough, but not too tight. We pulled back and weren't that far away. Looking into his eyes I felt a rush of affection and yanked the group leader into a hug. Thankfully he didn't push me away.

In fact, he returned it.

We sat there for a while, my head on Rick's chest until eventually it became weird and I smiled, pulling back.

"Thanks," I said, breathing in. "Just... just needed that. Where's Riley?"

Rick gave a small grin. "Carol's got her. She's next door with Carl. He got shot too." His face fell and my eyes - eye - widened.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Is he alright? What happened?" I asked frantically.

"Calm down, calm down. He's okay," Rick reassured, raising his hands for extra effect, then exhaled. "I'll let you get a bit more rest. Come in when you get a chance; Sophia fell asleep and I want to see her face when she wakes up and sees you."

We shared a grin and he left the room.

* * *

I leaned on the polished wooden doorway, hands clasped as I gazed at the scene before me.

Carl was lying asleep on the bed, slightly pale but fully recovered from what I could tell. His mother was sitting next to him, holding his hand like it tethered her to life, a worried but relieved look on her face. Sophia was sleeping too, curled up in a ball with her head resting on one hand, a small smile gracing her lips.

I couldn't help but admire how cute she looked like that.

Carol had her back to me, cradling my baby sister with the green bottle to her mouth. Riley suckled the milk, a soft slurping sound reaching my ears.

I cleared my throat and both heads turned to me.

Carol smiled widely and gave a little chuckle. Lori came up and hugged me.

"You alright?" she whispered, not wanting to wake the other two up. "You were out there for quite a while."

Nodding, I broke the hug and replied quietly, "Yeah; didn't get into that much bother." Lie. "Not a lot of danger beside the walkers." Lie. "Nothing I couldn't handle." Truth.

"Good. Carl should be okay tomorrow, too. Then we can all stop worrying and actually start to build a life here, without having to kill everyday just to survive," she told me wistfully.

"Really?" I asked incredulously. It sounded so ridiculous: a world without having to worry about the walkers around every turn? Again: ridiculous. "Is it possible? This place is actually secure enough for that? It's a farm."

Lori's eyes sparkled dreamily. "That's the thing: we haven't had any walkers around here. None. I don't think we ever will."

My eyes wide, I went over to Carol and took Riley gently, hand on the bottle so she didn't start crying her eyes out. I hummed a random tune when she opened her mouth wide so she didn't squeal and wake the others. When I felt pressure I took away the bottle, knowing she didn't want anymore. After a few more minutes of the tune and bobbing her softly up and down Riley slipped off to sleep, then I placed her in the carrier.

Rick appeared at the door and grinned, nodding in Sophia's direction. The women exchanged confused looks when I sniggered for a few seconds, but sighed when I walked over and crouched slightly. I nudged her arm a little, to no avail.

I breathed a small bit of laughter out of my nose, almost silently, and my girlfriend groaned, turning onto the other hand. I bit my lip humourfully and rubbed her cheek gently, causing her to smack me away. The four of us tittered and I poked her stomach a little harder than I'd meant.

She just moaned and slapped her hand in my general direction, so I rolled my eyes and poked her again, harder.

Sophia's eyes snapped open irritably. She was a little confused as to who I was for a second (thanks Andrea!) but recognised me almost immediately.

She was about to talk but I put one hand to her mouth and a finger to my lips, motioning to the sleeping boy next to us.

The look on her face was laughable. Her eyes were wide as saucers, brows raised up into her fringe. Even her ears were lifted a little. I couldn't help the snort escaping, which was met with a smack upside the head. I removed my hand and prepared to listen to my girlfriend's quiet rant.

Instead she hoisted me up by the collar (quite a feat for someone so skinny) and hefted me back into my room, snickers and whispers by the two cruel mothers trailing behind us.

Sophia looked at me for a moment, mouth in an open smile and eyes glinting. I bashfully rubbed the back of my neck and looked at the ground for a moment, then a sharp pain hit my left cheek.

"That's for not coming back!" she hissed, finger in my face.

Right cheek. "That's for making us look for you for days!"

And left cheek once more. "And that's for getting shot!"

"This is because I'm glad you're alive." She cupped my face in her hands and kissed me fully. When she pulled back I massaged my left cheek.

I told her, "That hurt, y'know," in my rough Glaswegian accent. "Any harder and I might need to get a few stitches."

"Which would be a shame, considering I just about finished the last," came an old farmer's voice from behind me.

I spun around, not recognising the voice to the sight of a man in his late middle-ages with groomed white hair and a clean shave. His dark eyes were warm, yet suspicious, as though he didn't really trust anyone outside his family. He wasn't exactly fat, per se, but he wasn't slim either, though the tone of his arms told me he had worked hard all his days, and the small amount of fat on his stomach suggested he was getting on and settling down, still doing some of the work, but most of the slack had been picked up by his family. One hand was on the doorway and his mouth twitched upwards in a relieved half-smile, though the fact that his mouth was the same peachy-red colour as the rest of his skin made it hard to tell.

"Um..." I started, trying to remember the man's name. "... Herschel?" He nodded kindly, holding out his hand. I took it with a smile, wanting to make a good impression. Not only did the old guy save my life, he was also our hosts.

He stated, "Nice to meet you, Jack. I would ask how you're feeling, but I guess you'd say you were okay even if you weren't." I grinned wolfishly. I guessed we'd get along just fine. "Yeah, thought so. Stubbornness tends to make it difficult to help."

"Pride makes it even worse," I replied, and received a chuckle in reply.

"True. Now," his voice took a hard, slightly rehearsed tone to it. "There are some rules. Not just for you two and your friend, for every one of your group."

Rick told me this, already. "You and your family deal with any walkers, we earn our keep and don't make trouble."

"Yes," Herschel praised. "But there is another: don't mess around with the barn."

I narrowed my eyes slightly. "Sentimental things that belonged to family or friends you've lost," I guessed.

I noticed he didn't look me in the eye when he said, "Something like that. Anyways, think you can do those things?"

Grinning, I replied, "I'd be questioning your sanity if you just let some new people roll in without taking precautions." Herschel smiled.

"Good." He sounded like a weight had been taken off his chest. "Well, I'll check on your friend and he should be out tomorrow. Boy's been anxious; he's been getting restless."

Sophia and I laughed. "So would I, no matter how comfy the bed." The farmer gave a small chuckle before leaving.

I turned to my girlfriend. "Well, he seems like an okay guy." She gave a 'hmm' as she wrapped her arms around my neck.

"He is, but he can be a... well, I heard Daryl say it, but Mom hit him for it." I snickered at the thought of Daryl Dixon being beat up by Carol Peletier. The image of her whipping the back of his head with a dish towel was hilarious. The Big Bad Hunter, yeah, right(!) "A hardass."

My eyebrows -brow- raised at the girl's language. She normally elbowed me for swearing, and 'ass' is considered a swear in America. And you couldn't even say it on TV. Ah, TV...

Hold on, she's coming back, she's coming back!

"Are you even listening?" she demanded. I stuttered and gaped like a goldfish and Sophia sighed exasperatedly. "Why am I even dating you?"

I smirked mischievously. "Because I'm good at this?" and I kissed her. She rolled her eyes and kissed back.

We 'pulled away' when Daryl whacked me with the butt of his crossbow.

* * *

Carl's eyes eased open tiredly, like he hated being in this position. Which I could relate to. If I was cooped up in a bed all day I'd despise whoever put me into the spot. In this case, Herschel, Lori and Rick.

He exhaled. "Another day, another dollar," he muttered sarcastically, causing me to chuckle. He snapped his eyes in my direction, and I heard a sharp intake of breath. "Am I hallucinating?"

I raised one eyebrow (well, I only have one, but y'know) and sharply smacked his knee.

"Ow! Okay, yeah, you're real."

The four of us shared a round of laughter. "I know I'm real," I told him obviously. "They know I'm real. But you don't."

"Did so!"

I rolled my eye.

"So, uh... how's the eye?"

"Carl!" Lori scolded. I, however, shrugged.

"Gone," I answered lightly. Had to harden him. Had to harden him. Had to harden him. "Not really much else. Those painkillers are a treat."

He replied, "Tell me about it," and sat up. "So, can I get up now?" he asked his mother, though I think he already knew the answer.

"Tomorrow, Carl. It's dark. Tomorrow."

He sighed and dropped back down.

I laughed and said, "I'd better get the tent up; don't want to be out there at midnight." The tent I'd gotten from the Old Group wasn't big but it did the job.

"Stay in ours," Carol invited kindly. "We've got enough room. Right, baby?"

Sophia nodded. "Yeah, it's a three-person tent. Isn't it?"

Carol smiled her answer.

We turned to leave when Carl said, "'Night Sophia, Carol, Olaf." I turned around.

"You play Skyrim too?" I asked with my eyebrow in the air. My best friend nodded with his eyes wide (lucky bastard).

"Yeah! Loved it!"

* * *

I tucked in the sleeping bag, exhaling deeply as Carol turned to the side and fell asleep before us. Sophia tittered.

"She's been sleeping a lot better lately," she told me as we both sat up. "Me too. It's more... peaceful without my dad here."

I snorted. "Understatement of the Century." Sophia looked down and I backtracked. "Sorry, Soph. I didn't mean to-" She waved her hand nonchalantly.

"S'alright." Then she stared at my bad 'eye' intently before lifting her hands behind my head. "Do you mind if I..."

I gulped, not really wanting her to see it. What if she got scared of me because of it? Or saw me as someone who needed to be protected? God...

I nodded almost imperceptibly and she undid the string, pulled away the patch and looked at the mangled hole where my left eye used to be. I watched as she took in the ugly ripples of skin, the pink flesh looking as freshly ripped as it had been, and don't forget the exit hole where your finger could go straight through my head, right beside my brain.

I looked down glumly and reached for the patch, but she held it out of my reach. My blood got a little warmer. Why was she messing with me right now? I seriously didn't need it. I tried for it again but she slipped it into her bag and just looked me in my good eye.

I didn't expect her to grab the back of my head and kiss me.

* * *

**There we go. Mainly a fluffy filler but hey, we all need some fluff in our lives, even badass 13-year-olds.**

**Hope you guys enjoyed it and I'll get the next chappie up soon!**

**DON'T FORGET TO HIT THAT SEXY REVIEW BUTTON!**

**SD OUT**


	5. Secrets Part 1

**Chapter 5**

I sat back on the wooden steps of the front porch, whistling a random tune as the soft breeze swept away the blazing heat. The vision of the farm was incredible; this place was untouched. The people here, this family, they had no idea what it was like out there, because they had no problems from walkers. The serenity of Herschel's home drove a possibilty home.

We could live here. Not just survive. _Live._

Riley, Sophia, Carl, me... we might get our childhood sorted out. We won't have to fight and kill to survive just another second. We won't have to run and run and run and then become just as bad as the monsters we're fighting. I could halt my thoughts of death, destruction, being the big, bad teenager who murders without a second thought.

I'll be able to raise Riley properly, give my baby sis the life she deserves. And I could find Natalie and it'll all be good.

The thoughts brought a smile to my lips, before the feeling of the eyepatch made it drop immediately. Raising my hand to the leather material I sighed. I still hadn't got used to it; looking out of one eye. Or not having my right pinky. Suddenly a surge of anger burst through me.

Why did I have to lose half my sight? Or a finger? Why was Carl shot and almost killed? Why did my mum turn into one of _them_ so I had no choice but to kill her? Why was my dad bitten? Why did those sons-of-bitches get Riley and why did Natalie have to go missing? Why, why, why, why. _WHY?!_

What did I do - what did any of us do to deserve this life?

I was cut out of my thoughts by the sight of Glenn whisper aggressively to Lori, who just kept on with her business. He was holding a peach out to her but she apparently wanted nothing to do with it. When we were called over by Shane he shook his head and walked off, so I walked over to the woman.

"What was all that about?" I asked curiously. Lori narrowed her brows.

She replied shortly, "Nothing. Just a disagreement." She smiled warmly before walking over to the group. I sighed and stroked my hair. Whatever it was, it was serious. Then something else occured to me. My hair was getting too long; seriously, it was down past my shoulders now.

I really needed a haircut.

* * *

"Hey, Jack," Carl said with a crooked grin, which I didn't really like.

I smiled back. "Hey, pal. What's up? You look-" I got my answer without him speaking.

I saw a revolver stuck in his belt.

My eye widening, I yanked his top down and hissed, "What the hell are you doing with that?! We're not supposed to have guns on the farm! Even I've handed my guns over and that was my dad's!"

The look on Carl's face dropped. "Sorry," he muttered shamefully. "Just wanna help defend the camp." I swallowed nervously.

"Look, where did you get it?"

My best friend bit his lip. "It's Daryl's."

"What?!" I demanded as quietly as I could. "You stole from Daryl?!" I spotted Carl's little smirk.

He replied, "Yeah." He actually looked quite pleased with himself. Now that I think about it, it was pretty impressive. No-one gets past Daryl Dixon. No-one.

I chuckled and smirked a little myself. "That is kinda good," I told him cheerfully, my 'kid' part surfacing and making me enjoy the rebellion of it all. "I won't tell." I clapped Carl on the back and walked away.

* * *

My baby sister gurgled as I bounced her a little more forcefully, making silly noises as I went. I poked her cute little nose and giggled as she sneezed. However she snapped her mouth shut when I tried to feed her. Unlike most babies, Riley hated the taste of baby food. When I gave her the look with my brow raised she laughed and I took the opportunity to shove the spoon in her mouth. She made a disgusted noise and pouted as she glared but swallowed the slime anyway, smacking her lips when she was done. Suddenly a pair of arms wrapped around my waist.

"You're good with her," an angelic voice sounded at my ear. I placed Riley in her carrier and turned around, giving Sophia a smile. "While you were missing Mom was the only one she listened to. When the men held her she squirmed and puked and any other women got a big pout and a locked mouth." Hmm, sounds familiar.

I pecked my girlfriend on the lips, asking her, "So, you're saying my own sister thinks I'm a girl?" I smirked and raised my eyebrow. It fell when she smirked herself.

"Well, you do look like one with that hair," she retorted softly, tugging at it. I gave her a disbelieving look and pouted myself. Sophia's smirk became an actual smile. "Seriously, though; you need a cut. Bad."

"Yeah, I know. I'll go do it now," I told her tiredly, stopping to give her a warm smile on the way out.

Life was changing.

* * *

The last few snips dropped into Herschel's bathroom sink (luckily he'd let me use the house) and I admired my handiwork. About what I guessed was a number 3 all over, though I could admit it was kinda choppy. Still, I could live with it. I put the scissors back in the drawer and picked up the razor, which was kinda weird.

It looked a little like a long steel comb with a safeguard. Like I said: weird.

Looking in the mirror, I carefully slid the razor over my face, shaving the beginnings of facial hair off. Damn, Dad was right: shaving hurts!

After exhaling, I went outside and over to Sophia and Carl, whom Carol and Lori were trying to get to do some schoolwork. Ha! The almost-teenager with a revolver in his belt doing schoolwork?! Laughable! Riley was sitting in her carrier next to them.

"Hey," I greeted, taking my sister's hand as she played with my finger, a cute look on her little face. "How's maths going?" I snickered as Carl shot me a glare and Sophia just sighed, muttering something about annoying boyfriends or something like that.

"Gun practice was just finished," Carl told me, smirking. "I actually learned how to shoot properly. Did it really take you that long to do your hair?"

I gaped like a goldfish. "I... uh, I..."

"Ha!" Carl poked my chest. "You're worse than a girl!" Sophia slapped his arm for that.

Then a call drew the attention of everyone on the farm, considering we were all in the one area. Herschel and his family, Shane and Rick, Glenn, Daryl, T-Dog, Dale, everyone.

"Jack!"

Our heads snapped round to the direction of the sound. I knew that voice, but it couldn't be.

As soon as he was close enough, I knew it was.

The lie I'd told myself came to light as he walked up to 20 metres from me then stopped. I didn't have what it took to shoot him that night. It was easier to say that than that I'd left him to turn. I just couldn't face it. But how...? He was bitten, so how was he alive?

At this moment I didn't really care.

"Dad?"

* * *

**So Jack's been lying to himself for the past few weeks! His dad is actually alive? But how?**

**He was bitten, and Jack was with him long enough for the fever to hit bad, so how was he alive?**

**All shall be revealed next time, my young apprentices!**

**DON'T FORGET TO READ AND REVIEW**

**SD OUT**


	6. Secrets Filler

**Hey, guys!**

**To be honest, I'm kinda disappointed by the lack of reviews.**

**Still, let's get on.**

**Chapter 6**

The sight of the 37-year-old blurred my vision and brought tears to my eye. My heart swelled as I breathed heavily.

He's alive? Really, actually, physically alive? My dad's alive!

I walked up to him, taking in his scruffy beard, greasy hair from being on the road as it was slicked back, the dirty white t-shirt and jeans and his warm chocolate brown eyes, far easier to look upon than my dark and dangerous swirls when I was pissed. Tears running down my cheeks, I stopped in front for a moment, the both of us staring at each other before I threw myself into his loving grasp.

"Oh, boy," he murmured, rubbing the back of my head and massaging my back, like he used to when I got nightmares. "You're alive." His sobs were open and careless. "Oh, my little boy..."

I breathed, "Dad..."

He squeezed me in tight. "I knew I'd find you. I just knew."

I had no desire to break the intimacy of the moment but nonetheless I pulled away. "How..." I asked, gesturing to him up and down. My dad smiled in reply.

"I tried to tell you a dozen times: I wasn't bit. Just slashed my arm on the car door. But you wouldn't just listen. Stubborn one, just like your moth-" He cut off there, and we both knew why.

When we went on that final run with the Old Group, he told me he didn't blame me, that he knew I had no choice. Though it was still a sore subject. Our shared happiness had been short-lived by Hoyt's atrocities. Shaking my head, I looked back up to my dad, only to see his notorious combined expression of concern, worry, anger, love and curiosity.

"What happened to you?" he inquired, motioning towards my patch and right hand. I sighed and threw my hands in the air as if to say 'Ah, what the hell'.

I told him, "The finger got bit so I cut it off." His eyes widened in disbelief. "And as for the eye, well..." I shared a look with Andrea. "... I got shot."

Dad gasped, then his voice took a dark turn. "Who? Hoyt? I swear to God-" I raised my hands in a 'stop' motion.

"No, not Hoyt. Andrea here mistook me for a walker," I said nonchalantly, nodding in the direction of said woman, who had become extremely interested in her feet. My dad raised an eyebrow.

He demanded, "How could she have thought you were dead?" The question was directed at me, though he was glaring at her.

"Long story," I said. "I'll explain everything later, but it was just an accident." Dad's face lightened considerably.

"Alright," he acquiesced, then caught sight of Riley. His eyes filled with tears again and he all but ran to her before picking her up and holding her close. "Oh, baby girl." My baby sister gurgled in enjoyment of the attention. Dad turned to me again. "Natalie?"

I looked at the ground as I shrugged. "Dunno. But we'll find her," I promised. My dad came in and brought me in for a family hug.

"I found you both. I found you..."

...

I sat in the tent, newly brought up (with the help of Dale and Rick), coddling Riley and singing random tunes to her. She seemed to enjoy it.

"When I stand at the edge, staring into the abyss,

the thought of you makes me remember who I'd miss.

These times are hard, but I can't stop pushing through,

'cos if I do, who else would have a clue?

For you there's no-one I wouldn't kill,

so long as it's for you, I'd gladly go through the mill."

I was cut off by the sound of the flap opening and Sophia coming in. We shared a smile and she sat next to me as I laid the newly-sleeping baby to bed. After her head rested on my shoulder, I laid mine onto hers, inhaling the sweet fragrance of her hair, still there despite all our hardships. She took off my eyepatch and kissed me. We just sat there, arms around each other until suddenly Sophia spoke up.

"Why'd you lie?" she asked, making me flinch.

I assured her, "I didn't lie; I really thought he was bit and died. Why would I lie about that, Soph?"

She exhaled through her nose impatiently: not a good sign. "You said you stopped him from coming back."

I closed my eye. "I lied to myself about that, Sophia," I told her sternly. "It was easier than to say that I left my own dad to turn into one of those..." I trailed off, raising my head and cupping her face in my hands. "Look, I thought he was dead, and I couldn't face admitting that I couldn't stop him from turning."

Sophia looked down, saying, "Yeah. Sorry, Jack." She kissed me, sending sparks through my veins before she stood up. "I should get back to my tent; it's pretty late." She made to go for the door but I didn't let go of her hand.

"What?" she asked concernedly, kneeling back down.

I looked her in the eye. "Stay," I begged.

She just looked at me for a few seconds before coaxing me onto my back and crawling up, resting her head on my chest. I looked down and saw her now shoulder-length blonde hair scattered across her back and onto the showing skin under my shirt. The tickling feeling brought a smile to my lips and I kissed my girlfriend's hair.

"'Night, Soph."

...

I woke up with Sophia still sleeping on me. A soaring feeling coursed into my chest and I stroked her back. The knowledge of my dad's survival filled my mind, both good and bad.

Had he changed? It didn't seem like it but there's always more than meets the eye (sorry, bad pun).

Would he continue to be overprotective? It was only Davie's persuasiveness that forced him to show me how to survive. Surely he would know I couldn't be 'protected' now?

What would he think of the things I'd done? Torture, murder, burning Hoyt alive... they were evil, but did they actually deserve it? No point in wondering now.

My thoughts were cut off by the soft groaning of Riley awakening. I gently rolled Sophia onto her back and went over, crouching next to my sister and bouncing her gently before she started crying. Instead she purred like a kitty and cuddled into my arm. We just looked each other in the eye as I hummed a random tune.

When I was finished she made a sound. At first I thought it was a gurgle but it was too... talky.

"Buvva..."

My eye widened and I snapped my head back to her.

I softly murmured, "Did you just talk...?" Riley nodded happily in reply.

"Buvva, buvva, buvva!" she exclaimed, getting louder. I smiled, tears in my eye. My baby sis just said her first word.

'Brother'. Ha! Get it up you, Dad!

"Good Lord..."

I looked around to see my Dad peeking in through the flap. We were both grinning like idiots, Sharing expressions, he came in and I sat Riley in her carrier as he sat down.

"Brother, huh?" he teased. "Good job. Now she probably won't stop saying it. All the time we're all gonna hear 'buvva, buvva, buvva' at night." Then Dad placed his hand on my shoulder. "I'm proud, you know. You found her." I blushed from the praise but my grin fell.

I replied, "I said I'd tell you everything, so keep sittin' and I'll tell you. No interruptions."

And so I narrated the events of my story: from heading to Atlanta, everything in Atlanta (Dad was pissed at Merle tossing me off a roof), getting to know everyone, what happened with Ed (he was so red he almost burst), the business with Sophia (the smirk alone made me look at the floor and blush furiously, followed by a nervous swallow when he gave me hell for yelling at her), the fish fry, Jim's death, the CDC (he raised both eyebrows whe I told him I had gotten drunk('It's okay,' I told him quickly. 'I paid for it the next morning')), storming the Old Group (this shocked him the most), the highway, getting lost, getting shot, then seeing him again.

"Whoo," he breathed when I finished, leaning back. "You've been through a lot. Changed a lot." I nodded. He narrowed his eyes and leaned in. "But that stops now."

It was my turn to raise an eyebrow. "What?!" I exclaimed, storming out to the middle of the group outside where everyone (including Herschel and his family) was talking over breakfast.

"You heard me. No more living on the edge, fighting those people."

I spun around, glaring full force with my one eye, though my shorter hair diminished the effect.

"'People'?" I demanded quietly, even though everyone heard me.

My dad set his jaw, stating, "Yes. Those people. They're not in their right minds," he argued. "They can become sane again." My glare dropped as I stared at him in shock.

"Seriously?" I asked, barely audible, yet loud. "You think they're, what... still alive?"

"I know they are!" he told me. "They just need a chance to prove it. Like your mother could've-"

"Oh, for god's sake!" I cut him off angrily. "This again?! Get over it! Davie's dead too! And Uncle Pete, and Jason! Mum and Davie have been put down-"

"Put down?!" he shouted. "They're not animals! They're family!"

"No!" I yelled, my eye a black swirl. "They're neither! You need to grow up! Face reality!"

My 'dad' pointed at his own chest. "I need to face reality?! How about you, Jack?! You talk like they're goddamn zombies! This isn't one of your video games, Jack!"

I stepped right up to him, nose to nose, and sneered.

"No. It is much, much worse, and it changes you!" I hissed dangerously.

He got right in my face then. "Exactly. You aren't changing anymore. You are being my son again. No more living on the edge, fighting those people, getting into fights, risking your life, torturing, stealing, murdering!" He was screaming by the end. "I won't let you do to others what you did to your mother!"

I gritted my teeth and curled my fists. "Instinct. She would have taken a bite out of me" Every syllable was clear and pronounced. "I'm not going over this again: they are dead. End. Of. Story."

I was about to walk away when he snatched my arm tightly.

"Don't you dare walk away from me. I am your father and you will listen to me."

I set my jaw and crossed my arms.

"Really?" I asked sarcastically. "Because lately it seems like you're not human anymore."

"Neither do you."

Narrowing my eye, I ordered, "You stay away from me. You stay away from Riley. You stay away from Natalie when we find her. From now on this family is off-limits to you until you come to your senses."

He looked insulted. "You are my son and those are my daughters! This is _my_ family; you do not get to tell me that!"

Then Rick had to get involved.

He stood inbetween us and held his arms out, saying to my 'father', "With all due respect, sir-"

'He' cut him off by punching him in the face, knocking him to the ground. Anger coursed through me. Rick had more of a father to me throughout this than he ever had. He was about to continue punching Rick when I grabbed a knife and held it to his throat.

"Don't. Touch. Him."

He stood back and glared heavily. "I don't know you anymore," he muttered, but I ignored the tiny spike in my chest.

"The feeling is mutual."

I lowered the knife and dropped it as Rick got up.

"I'm only going to tell once more," I warned. "Stay away from my sisters."

My so-called 'dad' licked his lips and scrunched his face in anger and frustration before stalking off. I ignored everyone's curious looks and snorted as I walked back into the tent to see Sophia coddling Riley.

"Hey," she greeted, taking my hand. "You alright? That was messed up out there."

I squeezed her hand and rubbed the skin, telling her, "Honestly, no. That wasn't really how I thought it would go down. I thought..." I trailed off for a moment. "...I don't know what I thought. But not that."

Sophia placed Riley in the carriage and kissed me softly. "I'm here if you need anything."

I just stroked her hair and kissed her again, trying desperately to escape this nightmare, if only for a second.

Because that's all we can do now.

I was an idiot.

None of us can escape the harsh reality.

And I didn't care if I had to go through my father, my sisters would beat this world.

I would do anything to make sure that would happen.

...

**So Jack's relationship with daddyo is more than a little complicated. Dad has the same mindset as Herschel, son sees things more realistically. Dad thinks they can be brought back, son knows they can't.**

**Long story short, they don't get along.**

**What do you think? Did I make the argument believable? Or just plain stupid?**

**Don't forget to review!**

**SD OUT**


	7. Secrets Part 2

**Hey, guys!**

**Reply to Colossus26: Yeah, he is kinda fucked-up, but he finds it easier to say that his son killed his wife than his wife was trying to eat his son. Combine that with one dead son, the other hating him, one daughter being missing and the other idolising his hateful son would be enough for a lot of people to go over the bend. So yeah, he's a dick.**

**Let's get started!**

**Chapter 7**

I was with Glenn and 'Dad', me and him gathering the wood that Glenn chopped into (seperate) piles silently, the only sound being the gentle breeze rustling the leaves as they occasionally fell onto our heads. Sweat dribbled down our foreheads and slipped under my patch, causing me to wince and wipe it off my eye when the stinging hit.

"I'm sorry," I heard Glenn's defeated voice say. Turning around, I saw Lori staring sheepishly at the ground. "I-I'm so-... It just came out and it was Dale, and-"

Lori cut him off as she said, "It's okay. I never should have... put you in that position. I've been thinking about what you said about, um... about needing help." She chuckled. "And you're right. I do."

"Name it," the Korean announced immediately. "Yeah."

Lori looked at a piece of paper in her hand. "If you're still willing to make a run into town for me..."

"I'm your man," Glenn assured her with a wide grin. Lori hugged him tightly, thanking him. "It's alright, it's not a big deal, really."

When Lori walked off I told Glenn, "I'm coming with you. Might spot something leading me to Natalie."

"Oh, no!" my 'dad' exclaimed. "You are not going out there. No." I rolled my eye.

I challenged irritably, "Do you want Natalie found?"

"Of course!"

"Then why shouldn't I go? Might even find her hiding under the counter."

He crossed his arms, asking, "And why can't Glenn and Maggie bring her back?" I raised my brow.

"First," I started, glancing at Glenn. "They'll be too busy getting off in the pharmacy." My 'dad's' mouth opened indignantly as Glenn swallowed and blushed and I smirked. "And second: do you honestly think she's going to trust a bunch of strangers? Especially when the thought of Hoyt gets in her mind?" His lip curled.

"I'll go." I glared immediately.

I told him heatedly, "Hell, no. I told you, 'stay away from my sisters'. That includes Natalie."

"... alright," he muttered eventually. "Fine. Go."

Walking away, I called back, "Would've done it anyway. Fucker," I finished quietly, so only Glenn could hear, and he laughed, causing 'him' to look at him strangely. 'He' walked up and grabbed my arm.

I turned and saw pleading in his eyes. Actual, real pleading.

"Jack, just... please don't kill anyone," he begged. "I lost one son completely to this awful world. I can't bear my other becoming a monster."

I glared at him, snatching my arm away and marching off.

* * *

"Y'know you didn't have to come," Glenn tried to engage Maggie in conversation. Any conversation. We were riding a few horses off the property and out onto the road. Not like the cops'll flag us down. "Today we need to go a distance." She just ignored him and kept riding, though I saw the corner of her mouth turn up for a second at his discomfort. "Please say something."

I sighed, "Just leave it, man. She doesn't want to talk, she won't talk. Unless you say the right thing." Maggie gave me a thankful smile before glaring at Glenn and riding again. We rode on after her.

We got to the top of the hill and Glenn tried again. "Maggie-"

"I asked for your trust and you betrayed it!" she cut him off disgustedly. Oh, God. That tone of voice meant all in paradise was trouble at the moment. "Now my dad's pissed at me. Your turn."

After a while Glenn asked tentatively, "So... your dad thinks their sick? You agree with that?" Ah, hell. Herschel too? "Even after what you saw at the well?" Wait, the well?

"I'm not sure what I saw at the well," she told him coldly as we pulled up at the pharmacy and got off.

"Yes, you _are_," Glenn insisted.

I interrupted awkwardly, "Um, I'm just gonna... take that store over there." I pointed to the gun store.

"Okay," Glenn replied quickly as Maggie waved at me much warmer than she treated Glenn. He turned back to her as I walked away.

I heard Maggie retort, "I wish you'd stop calling them that!"

After a few moments Glenn inquired quietly, as though he already knew the answer, "Well... what do you call them?"

"Mom. Shawn." Her voice was broken. "Mr. and Mrs. Fischer. Lacey, Duncan." She glared at him again before marching into the pharmacy. Glenn looked at me and I nodded in her direction, mouthing harshly, 'Go on!' He nodded and rushed in.

I exhaled dramatically, walking towards the gun store as I muttered, "Seriously? The fucking barn?"

* * *

I carefully nudged the door open with my Python raised, flinching at the large creak. Sadly I lost the Beretta in the forest so I was stuck with the Python.

Why did I come? It certainly wasn't to hear about Glenn and Maggie's relationship problems, or to discover Herschel's dirty little secret that could get us all killed. I said I thought we might find something to help find Natalie, but that wasn't it. Ah...

I wanted away from 'him'. Away from Riley, Sophia, Carl, everyone. Just me. Alone, on my tod. I always did better that way. Every time I had a group or even just someone else everything went to hell. No offense to them; I loved them all, but I just needed some alone time. The chance to get out into the real world for a bit. The farm was great, but underneath the Elysium exterior it just felt so... fake after everything. How could something so brilliant, so untouched exist in this world?

All it really did was make me nostalgic for the Old World; the weekends of camping with Davie and fishing with Dad, my clingy ex Rachel, my best friends Nick and Ryan, the afternoons of playing GTA, Far Cry and some zombie games after school.

Zombies. Huh. That and Far Cry really set the bar for this. Far Cry in particular helped with the in-the-field first aid, the sneaking around and using various weapons. Nothing as good as an actual instructor, but the way they were held and displayed in the game made it easier to learn.

Or maybe I'm just that awesome.

Shaking my head from my thoughts, I raised the Python over my left hand with my knife and moved in. The glass was crushed, split and scattered, causing my every step to crunch under my feet. The glass cabinets were beaten into; of course everyone runs to a gunstore first thing. Why wouldn't they? Never mind the doctors, the supermarkets, the survival shops, get a gun? Be noisy! That was sarcasm, in case you didn't notice. Just about everything was taken except a small box of pistol ammo, which I picked up with a grunt. Ah, God! My ribs were still healing from that fall back in the forest.

Holy shit...

A photo was lying on the floor, dirty and surrounded by black blood, presumably from the nearby walkers. I picked it up and my eye widened.

It was a photo of myself, Natalie, Mum and Dad and Riley at Alton Towers a few months ago.

She was here.

I had a lead. Natalie was nearby. And she knew how to take care of herself by now judging by the dead walkers.

I leaned my head into the back room to see no walkers, but a big-ass bulletproof wardrobe. Smirking, I holstered the Python and the knife and casually strolled in. I licked my lips and ran my fingers across the sleek metal surface. I chuckled at my discovery, then pulled on the handles.

Of course it had a fucking padlock.

Sighing, I frustratedly yanked on the handles a couple of times before pulling out the Python and shooting the general area of the lock.

The fucker gave way for the master. Don't! Hey, ho: little kid here! What's the matter, you sick?

The marvelous sight of shotguns, a couple pistols sniper rifles and one assault rifle, leering like preening peacocks saying, 'Ooh, look at us! We're fabulous!' I shrugged off the bag and put two shotguns, a rifle and a good amount of ammo in, then started on the pistols.

One in particular caught my eye.

A nice, stylish silver pistol with a comfortable grip and weighed just the right amount. (A/N: the Governor's pistol)

I picked it up and slipped it into my belt, the spotted another one. A freaking double belt: two holsters. One on the right where you could take the gun in a 'cowboy' position and the other on the left that you'd have to reach over to grab it. Both were designed for the right hand. Perfect.

I slipped off my old belt then on went the new, with the Python on the 'reacher' holster and my new gun on the 'cowboy' one; easier to get to. A thought came. I pulled out the ammo I found earlier and slipped it in the pistol. Perfectly matched. I smirked again.

But my joy was cut off by a short moan followed by a huge fucker falling on top of me to the floor.

Ooh, he was heavy! I put my arm under his chin and pushed his snapping jaws away but I knew it was a losing battle. I grunted and groaned as I reached for the pistol, barely able to get within slight distance without leaving myself open.

Shit, this was gonna hurt.

I gathered all my strength and headbutted the fat walker full force in its ugly hooked nose and heaved it off whilst it was dazed. Then again, I was pretty dazed, too. My vision was blurry, everything was swaying, tears running down my cheeks and I caught a glimpse of silver in the light.

I stumbled over and fell on my knees as I grabbed it. Sighing, I wiped the tears away, shook my head and stood up, with the walker right in front of me. I noticed it was about my height for some reason.

Before I knew it I was up against a wall with a rotting corpse mouth gnashing for my skin. It wanted to eat me, and not the good kind either.

Sorry.

I lifted the pistol under its throat and pulled the trigger, splattering brains over the ceiling and blood on my face. God, I'd _never_ get used to the stench or the cold feeling. I exhaled and heard a scream from across the street.

Maggie's scream.

Immediately I sprinted out and into the street only to trip over a walker and fall flat on my face. Hilarious. Sarcasm.

Shoving myself back up I took out the pistol and bashed into the pharmacy to the sight of an almost fully-decapitated walker standing up. Maggie was weeping and whimpering and Glenn pulled out his machete and slammed it into the walker's head. He pulled the blade out and it fell to the ground, but still kept snarling.

For the love of...

I walked in and stood by Maggie awkwardly as Glenn continously stabbed the walker's head until he was sure it was dead. Or maybe he was pissed he almost lost his girlfriend. ... yep, I'm going with number two.

Breathing heavily, he got up and Maggie pulled him into a tight hug, crying into his shoulder. Glenn's eyes were still wide as they met mine. I swallowed and gave him a smile, which he returned.

I hated romance and even I could see it. Those two were in love. Made for each other.

God, that took me so much puking to write.

* * *

"So, uh..." I started cautiously, ignoring Glenn's waving his hand over his neck and Maggie's glare of extreme anger. Maybe it was her time of the month? "What did Lori want?"

Maggie scoffed and spat, "Oh, of course! She didn't tell you! Only him!" She cast a look Glenn's way and continued, "Naturally the bitch wanted some goddamn pills!"

I was confused. "Pills? As in..." I let go of the reins and made a pumping motion. Maggie scoffed again, almost laughing.

"No," she sneered. "More of a..." She made a round shape in front of her belly. "Pill." I raised my brow. I didn't get that one.

Taking note of my expression, Glenn quietly explained, "Abortion pills. I got some sickness ones too. Just in case." I exhaled deeply and Maggie grinned in a fakely manic manner.

"Ooh, yeah!" she shouted angrily. "She's gonna get it!"

Glenn and I looked at each other and swallowed.

"I'll stay out your way."

* * *

Getting off the horse, I hopped the fence with the gun bag and over to Rick, who was talking with Carl. They caught sight of my expression and frowned simultaneously. God, I hate it when people do that. It's creepy.

"'Sup?" Carl asked. I took a breath and avoided their eyesight. I felt guilty. How could I keep something like this from them? Giving my best smile (which admittedly didn't look much like one with the guilt and the scars from Ed's session) and handed Rick the gun bag and my gunbelt.

I told him, "There you go. There's more there." Then I turned to go but Rick touched my arm lightly and gave me a concerned look.

"Something wrong?" he asked. His tone was... caring. Fatherly, even. I tried but I couldn't keep it. I grabbed his own arm and pulled him into my tent, my pointed finger ordering Carl to stay put. He nodded with an even deeper frown. We sat down and Rick sighed, "So... what's wrong? Something with Sophia? Your dad? Something happen on the run?"

"No, no!" I cut him off hastily. "It's um... it's, uh..." I was holding my head in frustration. I couldn't keep it from him and I couldn't tell him?! Brain, make your damn mind up! "... forget it!" Tears in my eye, I turned to run out the tent but he grabbed my arm and pulled me in close. He kneeled and took my face in his hands.

"Take your time," he soothed. "Whatever it i-"

"It's about Lori," I spluttered then snapped my hand over my mouth as his brows narrowed. Shit, shit, shit! What the fuck have I done?!

He demanded frantically, "What's wrong?! Is she bit? Scratched? Poisoned? Shot? Beaten up? Drunk? Ch-"

I covered his mouth and swallowed deeply. I was so going to regret this.

"She's pregnant."

* * *

I sat in the tent, reading _Heroes of Olympus: the Mark of Athena_ to Riley (who had fallen asleep but I didn't notice) when my girlfriend slipped in, looking seriously weirded out. I furrowed my brows along with the familiar (but still fantastic) skip in my chest and put the book down. Saying nothing, Sophia laid down next to me and we listened to the birds chirping in the night.

After a while, she asked, "Can I sleep in here tonight?" with a sheepy expression. I couldn't help the smirk.

"You didn't seem to mind staying last night," I teased, poking her stomach. She responded with a playful glare and a punch to the same area. "Point taken," I wheezed, slipping an arm around her.

We curled up together in the sleeping bag and enjoyed the shared warmth. Sophia's cheek was pressed up against mine as we cuddled (on our SIDES, perverts!) and I couldn't help but blush heavily at how close we were. Sure we had hugged before but this was different. Tight. Intimate. Our hands were a few inches away from inappropriate places. Trying to take my mind off it I asked. "So, why the face earlier?"

At hearing - no, feeling her swallow she replied quietly, "My mom and your dad are lying in her sleeping bag kissing." I raised my brows (both, the tattered remains of my left one rising up from the patch. Oh, wait, I took it off; always do when it's just us. Idiot) and exhaled.

"Are you serious?" I muttered, causing her to leer. "Sorry! I - I just-"

"I heard strange sounds."

Oh, well that about sums it up. Sophia caught sight of my awkward look.

"What's up? Do you know what that means?" she inquired. I nodded calmly as I could. "Well, do tell."

I started slowly, "They're... doing adult stuff." She swallowed.

"Like..."

Looking down, I murmured, "Sex." Sophia's eyes widened and she blushed as well, burying her face in my shoulder. "Did it seen serious?" I ventured.

"No. At least, not like you and me or Glenn and Maggie. I don't know..." she trailed off. I swallowed and kissed her hair, holding her close as we drifted to the realm of dreams.

_Not like you and me..._

A small smile tilted the corners of my mouth.

This life might turn out okay after all.

* * *

**So Jack knows about Lori and ended up telling Rick. Doesn't make a difference since he'd find out at the same time by going into the tent, but he does have a conscience.**

**Also, he just missed hearing about the barn. Lucky for Glenn.**

**NO, I WILL NOT BE MAKING A ROMANCE THING BETWEEN JACK'S DAD AND CAROL! IT'S MORE OF WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN ANDREA AND SHANE: A ONE-TIME THING THAT KINDA FREAKS PEOPLE OUT! AGAIN, NO ROMANCE!**

**Anyways, hope you enjoyed the chapter and review please! I eat reviews for breakfast! I've kinda been going hungry lately!**

**SD OUT**


	8. Pretty Much Dead Already

**Hey, guys!**

**No offense to American Football, just don't get the name! It's more like rugby to me. Sorry if you're offended!**

**Chapter 8**

It had been a few days since the pharmacy, and our search for Natalie had extended to the fringes of the town, with no other leads. Fuck, she was close! But where?!

We were all sitting at our camp with our breakfast, Carol cooking the eggs and handing them out. Andrea was sharpening her knife, Shane was eating at the tree, his police cap hiding his face from the sun. The rest of us were sitting on the logs, me, Carl and Sophia messing around and making sure Riley didn't wake up, my 'dad' facing the forest with his back to us all as he ate, Rick seemingly ignoring Lori as she tried to whisper something to him (my fault?) and T-Dog was 'chillin' in the sun, occasionally taking bites of his eggs. Glenn on the other hand was leaning against another tree, glancing at Maggie, who was shaking her head from the farmhouse. As Carl and Sophia chatted a little, I studied him. He was shaking a little, biting his lip, playing with his food, looking everywhere nervously. Did he have something to tell us?

My suspicions were confirmed when he looked to Dale, who nodded grimly.

Glenn nodded in reply, put down his plate and walked to the front of us all. He put one hand in his pocket and rubbed his chin with the other.

"Uh, guys?" he started and everyone else turned their attention to him. Despite that, nobody besides me and Dale focused on him. They simply turned towards him. "So..."

We all just raised our eyebrows and nodded questioningly, motioning for him to get on with it.

But we certainly weren't expecting this bombshell.

"... the barn's full of walkers."

The air suddenly darkened, white noise filling our ears. What the hell did he just say?

Everyone had frozen, eyes homing on Glenn, who swallowed. Oh, yeah, buddy. You're F-U-C-K fucked! Our breaths hitched and we followed Shane's large strides.

This better be bullshit.

...

The barn was in front of us.

The barn full of walkers.

The barn full of dead, snarling monsters which just so happened to be not that far from our own camp.

The barn that Herschel had oh-so conveniently forgotten to tell us about.

Shane looked through a crack in this barn and stepped back after a particularly loud snarl. He stomped past Rick and growled, "You cannot be alright with this."

"I'm not!" Rick retorted. "But we're guests here. This isn't our land!"

Shane scoffed. He insisted, "God, this is our lives, man!"

"Lower your voices!" Glenn hissed.

"We can't just sweep this under the rug!" Andrea said disbelievingly.

"It ain't right!" T-Dog added.

Shane stepped back in front and announced, "Look, we either gotta go in there, make things right, or we just gotta go. Now, we have been talking about Fort Benning for a long tim-"

"We can't go!" Rick ordered.

"Why, Rick?! Why?!"

I stepped up to him. "Because my sister's still out there!" I spat coldly.

Shane sighed and rubbed his face. "Okay," he started tiredly. "Okay, okay, I think it's time we all just started to consider the other possibility."

"Shane!" Rick exclaimed. "We're not leaving Natalie behind!"

"We're close to finding my daughter!" my 'dad' shouted in his face. "Jack just found her damn photo a few days ago!"

Arsehole had the nerve to chuckle. "That's what he did, man. Jack found a photograph!"

Daryl marched up to him. "Man, you don't know what the hell you're talkin' about!"

Rick put his hand up and tried to stop it but Shane wasn't letting up.

"Man, I'm just saying what needs to be said here! You find a good lead, it's in the first forty-eight hours!"

Then he pointed his finger at me.

"Let me tell you somethin' else, kid! If she was alive in that store and saw you comin', gun waving around with ya blown-out eyeball and slashes all over ya damn face, she would RUN IN THE OTHER DIRECTION, MAN!"

Shane and I kept hurling insults at one another with Rick holding us back from all out brawling (well, him kicking the shit out of me) but everyone got involved, Glenn pulling me by the shoulders into a weird hug and Lori shoving Shane away and shouting something in his face. Rick yelled at him to back off and Shane warned Lori to keep her hands off him before stalking off. I relaxed into Glenn's grasp and watched the 'big man' walk away.

Fucking dickhead!

Rick called, "Now, just let me talk to Herschel! Let me figure it out." Shane marched back over to him.

"Man, what ya gonna figure out?!" he yelled. Lori stood in front and Rick continued.

"If we're gonna stay, if we're gonna clear this barn, I have to talk him into it," he explained. "This is his land!"

Dale informed us, "Herschel sees those things in there as people. Sick people. His wife, his-his-his stepson."

"You knew?!" Rick demanded. Dale nodded.

He told Rick, "Yesterday, I talked to Herschel."

Shane growled, "And you waited the night?!"

"I thought we could survive one more night! We did! I was waiting until this morning to say something but Glenn wanted to be the one."

"Man, that's crazy! Rick, if Herschel thinks those things in there are people, they're not!"

Rick argued back, "Shane, I know!"

Then the doors to the barn rustled and shook violently, the snarls and growls emanating like the voices of the dead.

We all flinched back and watched as the threat was about to be unleashed.

...

As I walked up to the camp I bumped into Daryl.

"Sorry," I muttered, and he clapped me on the shoulder before walking away. "Hey, Daryl?"

He turned back. "Yeah, kid?"

I swallowed and thought for a moment, gathering the right words.

"Look, um... why... wh-why do you want to find her so bad? Natalie?"

The hunter breathed out his nose and checked his crossbow for a second before looking back up at me. He replied carefully, "Well, I keep thinkin' that... if it was Merle out there, nearby with a... a good lead? I'd want somebody to do the same."

I nodded. "Right. Thanks, man."

"Don't mention it."

...

Sophia and I were half-sitting on the farmhouse steps, just gazing at the view of Maggie and Patricia tethering the escaped horses. The sun gave a serene light to it, but goddamn it burned! I shut my eye and looked up, sighing. Sophia giggled and lightly smacked my head.

"You must've lost 20 pounds in sweat in the past two days alone!" she marveled. "What is up with you and the sun?!" I glared at her playfully but grinned when she raised her eyebrows.

I sat up properly, explaining, "Well, back in Scotland, it _is_ quite cold. Jings, winter?! You Yanks wouldnae survive the week!" I noticed myself slipping into slang and smirked a little. "Only this time o' year we get any heat, and it's aboot ten degrees lower'n this!"

My girlfriend snorted and I laid back down, smiling as she rested her head on my shoulder.

"Do you miss it?"

My smile dropped slightly. "To be honest..." I began. "I don't really know. I miss some things, like the free food at school, fitba - actual fitba, no American Rugby!" I told her. "Um... oh, aye! Free hospitals, tae!"

Sophia's eyes widened as she stood up and stared at me in disbelief.

"Yeah, right!" she scoffed. "Free?! Shut up!"

I nodded with a grin, standing up with her. "I kid you not!" In reply she punched my arm.

I playfully pouted.

"Why did I have to get such an abusive girlfriend?" I sniffed. Sophia rolled her eyes and punched it again.

Dropping the act, I grinned and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed back. We stood there for a while until a certain someone yelled out.

"Ah! My eyes! PDA!"

"Carl!" his mother hissed, thought I could hear her sniggering too, along with half a dozen others. We immediately broke apart and turned away, I rubbed my neck and she kept her hand to her mouth. The both of us were blushing scarlet. After a while I turned around to the sight of the rest of the group sat at various positions of the porch, including a brown-haired boy with a shit-eating grin splattered on his face.

He smirked and called over, "Something else about to go down there, guys?"

Oh, no he didn't!

I set my jaw and stalked toward him until he eventually laughed and ran off, me chasing him.

We bolted around the farmhouse in circles. The little shit was fast. Goddamn, I'm running out of breath!

Luckily he was, too. I threw myself at him near the porch and we fell to the ground in fits of laughter. Everyone was chuckling and I rolled off him, standing up. I gave him one kick for good measure as we regained our breath.

Grinning, Carl held out his hand with his hat tipped down. I took it and squeezed. Hard.

"Ow, ow! Okay, let go!" he whimpered and I smirked, letting go.

But the moment had to be ruined by Shane marching up with the gun bag, shotgun in hand. We all got in front of the porch, Daryl in front.

"What's all this?" he asked.

Shane replied, "You with me, man?" He handed him the shotgun.

"Yeah," Daryl murmured.

"Time to grow up!" Shane ordered. He nodded to Andrea. "You already got yours?"

"Yeah. Where's Dale?"

"He's on his way."

Taking a pistol, T-Dog said, "Thought we couldn't carry?"

"Well, we can and we have to." Then he turned to the rest of us. "Look, it was one thing picking daisies when we thought this place was supposed to be safe but now we know it ain't!" He marched over to Glenn and held out another shotgun. "How 'bout you, man? You gonna protect yours?"

Glenn hesitated, looking at Maggie but took it.

Wait, where were Rick, Herschel, Dale and Jimmy?

Hell, where was my old man?

"That's it," Shane praised, then looked to Maggie. "Can you shoot?"

"Will you stop?!" she demanded. "You do this, you hand out these guns, my dad will make you leave tonight!"

"We have to stay, Shane!" Carl exclaimed.

Lori asked, "What is this?"

"We ain't goin' anywhere, okay?" he assured Carl, turning to me. "Here, man," he told me, tossing my belt. I snatched it out of the air and strapped it on. I didn't agree with this, but he wasn't really giving us any choice. This wasn't our decision to make, dammit! Herschel's farm, Herschel's barn, Herschel's say!

What didn't he get? If the old man wanted to delude himself into thinking they were sick then he could go on right ahead.

"Now, look, Herschel..." Shane continued. "He's just gonna understand, okay? Well, he... he's just gonna have to." Then he bent down to Carl's level and held out a small revolver. "Now I want you to take this. You take it, Carl, you keep your mother safe, you do whatever it takes. You know how, now take it."

Lori stood protectively in front of her son and hissed, "Rick said no guns. This is not your call! This is not your decision to make!"

"Oh shit!" T-Dog suddenly exclaimed, pointing to the edge of the forest. We all looked over and our eyes widened at the sight.

Rick, my 'dad' and Herschel were pulling three walkers towards the barn with snare-poles, and Jimmy was guiding them.

Shane started running at them, snarling, "What is that?!" He raised his voice. "What is that?!" We all ran after him and caught our breath when we reached the four at the barn. "Man, what the hell're you doin'?!"

"Shane, just back off!" Rick warned.

Herschel shouted, "Why do your people have guns?!"

"Are you kiddin' me?!" Shane yelled, circling them. "You see?! You see what they're holdin' onto?!"

"I see _who_ I'm holding onto!" Herschel yelled back.

"Nah, man, you don't!"

Rick pleaded, "Shane, just let us do this, then we'll talk!"

"What you wanna talk about, Rick?! These things ain't sick! They're not people! They're dead! Ain't gotta feel nothin' for 'em 'cos all they do, they kill! These things right here; they're the things that killed Amy! They killed Otis! They're gonna kill all of us!"

"Shane, stop!" Rick shouted, desperately trying to keep hold of his walker.

"Stop this you psycho arsehole!" my 'dad' yelled at him. "They're just not right!"

"Oh, shut up, you idiot fool!" Shane retorted. "They're dead! We saw that at the CDC! Didn't we?!" he demanded, speaking to us all. A few nods went around the adults. Carl and Sophia were wrapped in their mothers' embraces and Sophia was holding onto my hand.

Shane took out his gun, addressing the farmer, "Hey, Herschel, man, lemme ask you sumthin'. Could a livin', breathin' person, could they walk away from this?"

And he fired three rounds into Herschel's walker's chest.

"Stop it!" Rick yelled.

"That's three rounds to the chest!" Shane continued. I swallowed. We were fucked now. "Could someone who's alive, could they just take that? Why is it still comin'?!"

He fired another two rounds into it's chest.

"That's it's heart, it's lungs! Why's it still comin'?!"

Another three rounds.

Rick ordered, "Shane, enough!"

"Yeah, you're right, man," Shane sighed. "That is enough."

And he put a bullet between Herschel's walker's eyes, killing it instantly.

Everyone froze, just as they had when Glenn told us about the barn. If Herschel wasn't convinced right this second, we were off the farm tonight. We couldn't survive out there for long! The old man had fallen to his knees with the walker. All sound was numbed until Shane started again.

"Enough, risking our lives for a little girl who's GONE!" he screamed at me. "Enough, living next to a barn full of things that are tryin' to kill us! ENOUGH! Rick, it ain't like it was before!"

Rick just stared defiantly at him.

Shane continued screaming, "Now if y'all wanna live, if y'all wanna survive, you gotta FIGHT for it! I'm talking about FIGHTIN'! RIGHT HERE! RIGHT NOW!"

Then he ran over to the barn and started beating the locks with a pickaxe.

"Herschel, take the snare-pole!" Rick shouted. "Listen to me, man, please. Take it now! HERSCHEL! TAKE IT!" But the old man was too traumatised by the revelation dropping on him like a ten-ton weight.

I ran forward and grabbed Rick's snare-pole, yelling, "Go, you lazy bastard! I've got this!" Rick gave me a quick nod and sprinted over to Shane.

"Brother, please!" he pleaded, grabbing his shoulder but Shane just turned around and whacked him over the head with the handle of the pickaxe, knocking him to the ground. After a few more hits the barn opened.

Shane backed up to the group and Rick scrambled back to the walker, taking the snare-pole from me as Shane, T-Dog, Andrea and Daryl took aim at the oncoming horde. The first few walkers came out and Glenn frustratedly groaned before running up with them.

Then the massacre began.

At first it seemed like a regular gunning down a couple of walkers, but once the bodies piled up, one on top of the other, scattered across the the gap between us and the barn, it began to look like an execution.

Walker upon walker went down, and I saw every one of their deadened eyes darken even more as a bullet entered their brain. I tightened my hold on Sophia's hand and just watched.

Shane turned around and gunned down Rick and my old man's walkers before turning back to the barn massacre.

As quickly as it began, it was over.

Silence landed on the farm when the last round was fired. We all just looked at each other, trying to take in what had just happened.

Another moan came from the darkness.

A pink and white striped shoe stepped out.

Worn-out jeans came after.

A paint-splattered shirt next.

Finally a face that I used to find adorable, but now would not recognise.

No. No. _No._

My father fell to his knees, whimpering. I removed my hand from Sophia's and a flood unleashed on my face, drenching my skin in tears. I remember myself wailing and sobbing as my hand lay on my dad's shoulder. He was too still, just the sound of our crying filling the air with her growls and snarls.

Everyone was still and silent, just watching.

I watched from far above, my pitiful grief filling my soul. I was me and I was not me.

A steel shell encased my heart and I stopped crying.

I wiped my tears away.

Stepping forward, I ignored the grasps of my father, of Sophia, of Rick, and just kept walking.

Because it was my failure. My responsibilty.

I stopped in front, removing my Python. I looked into her eyes, once so kind, innocent, full of love, yet now cold, yellow, pale.

Dead.

Another wave of tears threatened to fall but I held on, and the steel hardened. My jaw set. My fist clenched.

The Python raised, aimed to her forehead like just another walker.

But it wasn't.

The steel was drilled in. It was just another walker. It was now.

I emotionlessly watched her mouth snap open and shut, reaching for me.

I stared into her eyes one last time before I sent a bullet through my sister's head.

...

**So Natalie was in the barn instead of Sophia. Not that big of a plot twist or change, I know, but I had this planned from the beginning, like a lot of things.**

**Hope you enjoyed it anyways, so review!**

**SD OUT**


	9. Insanity

**Hey, guys!**

**Chapter 9**

As I lowered the gun tears welled up in my eyes again. She's dead. She's dead. She's dead.

All this time searching and it turns out my little sister had been dead all along.

My heart broke in two watching the limp, lifeless grey body. Why? Why her? She was so innocent, so full of life.

That was why.

This world isn't made for the innocent. You either end up a walker or something a lot less than the person you were. The tears receded, my iron will refusing them release. The grip on the gun tightened as I swallowed and let out a shaky breath.

We were all just standing, the aftermath of all of it hitting us full in the face, cold and bitter. Even the sunlight held no respite, no heat. I looked back to the sight of my father.

He was still slumped on the ground, still on his knees as he watched his daughter's rotted corpse. He glanced up at me and I knew he understood now.

They're not people. No matter how much we want them to be.

It didn't stop him from sobbing even harder. Lori placed a hand on his shoulder but he impatiently shook it away before standing up and marched away with his fists clenched, his weeping loud enough for us all to hear.

For the first time in a while I wanted to go after him, to just curl up in his arms and listen to him whisper that everything would be alright; the way he did after Grampa died a few years back. It wouldn't do any good, I knew that, but the yearning for some form of comfort pulled at the skin my heart.

Carl and Sophia were openly crying like my dad, not as loud but with even more tears. They were looking me in the eye and I breathed in deeply before nodding to them both.

They couldn't escape.

Most of the adults were just looking at either me in pity or Natalie in shock and horror. Angrily I pursed my lips until my eye landed on Herschel.

He had both hands pressed to his mouth; no tears yet the pain and grief evident in his every motion. Maggie had a hand on his shoulder, a crying slightly from seeing her family, her friends being gunned down by people she had come to know, by her own boyfriend. Beth was violently sobbing as Jimmy held her and Patricia was just standing there, not knowing what to do.

Well, that makes two of us.

Suddenly Beth started going over to the piles of walkers, still crying her eyes out. Rick held out a hand to stop her but she threw it away and kneeled in front of one, shoving another off it.

"Mom," she breathed, and the walker grabbed her and lunged for its next meal.

Everyone but me burst into action as the walker snarled and tried to eat its former daughter. Shane and Rick pulled her away as Glenn yanked the walker off of her. Herschel and Maggie immediately rushed to her side to ensure she was okay as T-Dog stood over the walker. He was about to stomp its brains in when a bullet stopped him.

My bullet.

He looked me in the eye and nodded solemnly. Beth's eyes were wide and terrified as she looked at me like some sort of monster who'd just killed her mother.

Well, I guess I just did.

Maggie gave me a short smile out of the corner of her mouth and a nod; showing she appreciated the more dignified end. I didn't respond, instead noticing Dale for the first time.

And where the fuck had he been, huh?

I took one last look at Natalie, only just realising that I had in fact been crying all along. The tears were dripping to the floor from my cheeks, the bitter taste entering my mouth. My insides wrenched again and I glared at the sky, muttering every insult under the sun as I stalked off, gun in hand.

I was headed for the forest.

...

I walked over to the lake covered in black blood and thick goo. A maniacal grin had etched itself across my face during my slaughter but now I was emotionless, the machete hanging loosely off my hand with one thought in my mind.

We won't have walker problems for a while now.

The moonlight cast a pale shadow across my insane features as I stared into the water. A drop of blood into the liquid drew me from my thoughts.

I slipped into the lake with my clothes on, because honestly; why not?

Tonight had been a good haul. Chuckling, I laid back, sighing in pleasure at the lukewarm water seeping through the fabric. I took a deep breath and embraced the silence of the night. It was comforting, especially when I was in this mood.

My 'happy' mood.

I have to admit: even now as I write this, killing walkers after losing someone close is still my biggest high.

However, as the blood washed off so did the high, bringing me back from my own little world of insanity. I liked that world; I loved to just get lost, let the blade do the talking. Just... not resist. Stop pretending.

Stop pretending I was like the others.

Because I wasn't.

And I never will be.

Shit, that's a sobering thought.

Not the thought of everyone hating me, but the thought of never fitting in. No-one would ever understand.

Dad wouldn't understand.

Rick wouldn't understand.

Shane.

Lori.

Carol.

Daryl.

T-Dog.

Andrea.

Glenn.

Herschel.

Maggie.

Beth.

Patricia.

Jimmy.

Especially Carl and Sophia. If they knew the real me...

... it might just destroy everything between the three of us.

So no. I won't let them know.

No-one will ever know.

The sneakiness of it all made me giggle and smirk. This was my little secret. Just my little secret. All mine. No-one to stop me.

I grinned again as the high came back and I drifted off to unconsciousness.

...

I woke up with a start.

Oh, shit!

I threw my head over the water and gasped for breath, getting oxygen into my lungs.

Shit, I nearly drowned! I s_eriously_ had to stop doing that!

You see, that's why I hate getting my high. I end up almost dying needlessly. Like this! Pointless!

But as I got out the water the worry set in again. My eternal struggle. Am I really insane?

Is my love for Riley, Dad, Sophia, Carl and everyone else actually a ruse? Against myself?

Am I just hiding from reality? Or is this 'thing' just a fake thing? Am I a good man or a psychopath?

That's the line I've been walking ever since this all started. I could be a worse danger to myself and the others than anything else.

And that scared me more than anything.

Was last night who I really am?

...

**So Jack actually has an insane side of his own. Are all his previous kindnesses and caring acts just fakes to hide from himself? Even he doesn't know.**

**And what will the group think when they find out about this insanity? Will his dad hate him again?**

**Will Rick cast him out?**

**Will Lori keep Carl away?**

**Will Sophia turn her back on him?**

**What will happen to Riley?**

**Sorry if things are getting cheesy, I wrote this at like, half-ten, so...**

**Anyways, hit that sexy review button!**

**SD OUT**


	10. Not True?

**Hi, guys!**

**Let's get started!**

**Chapter 10**

I nervously slipped into my tent, quickly hiding from the stares and worried glances. A small bubble of anger burst at their pity. I didn't need it and I sure as hell didn't want it. They could take it all and shove it up their-

"Jack?" a familiar voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I bit my lip and met Sophia's caring gaze.

I croaked, "Yeah?" not wanting to have to deal with it right now.

After a while she asked, "Where did you go?" She must've seen my expression because she continued, "I mean, what happened yesterday was seriously messed-up, but... you really had us worried. Where did you go?" she repeated in that caring manner I couldn't resist. I cast my eye down.

Fidgeting with my fingers, I replied quietly, "Maybe it's best if we stay away from each other for a while." After hearing Sophia's intake of breath I felt even worse.

"What do you mean?" she pried. "Why?"

I swallowed, tears threatening to fall. "I'm not safe," I murmured, staring at the wall. I stiffened at the palm on my shoulder but didn't pull away.

"How can you not be 'safe'?" she demanded, taking my face in her hands. "What, do you have the Plague?" she jested. "Are you contagious? What's the matter?"

I bit my lip again, not meeting her eyes. "I'm not really... that good a person." Every word tore a little away from my heart but I forced myself through it.

I didn't expect her to snort.

"You?!" she inquired. "Not good?! Listen to me: you risked your life for T-Dog in Atlanta. You got your face smashed in for my mom at our old camp. You ran off into that forest to save me despite everything that could've happened and ended up losing an eye. You're one of the most caring people we have here so don't you _dare_ say you're not a good person."

"Sophia," I started, taking her hands from my face. "Last night, I went into the forest. I found a machete. I killed a lot of walkers. A _lot_. Also, to get Riley back I tortured two of my Old Group members, then chained the leader to a wall and _burned him alive_. And the worst part?"

I leaned in and swallowed, looking her right in the eye.

"I enjoyed it."

Sophia's eyes widened and I let go of her face, sitting back down. I knew it. She hated me. They'll all hate me. I'm a psychopath, I'm dangerous. Rick can't risk-

"Listen to me."

I looked up to see Sophia's eyes blazing.

"You said they raped a family and murdered them in cold blood?"

I nodded.

"They killed your brother without any hesitation?"

I nodded.

"They drove you out and tried to kill you, and raise Riley as their own?"

I nodded.

"You care about this group?"

I nodded.

"You'd do anything to keep us safe?"

I nodded. She took my face in her hands.

"Then how can I judge you for punishing monsters like that? For spending the night killing walkers after seeing your own sister become one? For liking it?"

I looked down. At least, as far as I could with her holding my face like this.

She kissed me. "Come outside. And I don't want to hear any B.S. about you not being 'safe' or anything like that!" She made the motions with her fingers sarcastically and left.

Was she right?

Was I right to do those things?

Was Hoyt just getting to me?

_Flashback Start_

_"Run, Forrest, run!" Hoyt screamed insanely, blasting his AK47 into the air. Dad, Natalie and I sprinted through the trees._

_Dad gasped, "Just keep running."_

_"Oh, and kid?" I heard the Old Group leader start. "You're gonna end up just another monster. Just like me! Does that make you feel any better? Don't you want to be just like me? You know you do! You want this! This kind of thing is like a disease! It spreads and spreads and now you're infected! You're just like me!" He laughed manically and I started crying amongst the gasps._

_Because he was right._

_I wanted to run my own group._

_I wanted the power._

_I wanted to be feared._

_I knew it and so did he._

_Flashback End_

I exhaled and laid back. No.

No.

No.

Hoyt was wrong.

Sophia was right.

Sophia was right.

I wasn't insane. Just... human.

Yes, I enjoyed it but if I didn't have the right to, then who did?

It was with a straightened chin that I stepped out of my tent to face the world again.

...

**SHORT AND POORLY-WRITTEN, I KNOW! But, hey, I needed a filler and I was bored so i decided to put this in.**

**Sue me.**

**Or not. I don't really care.**

**Whoa, actually: I do care. Don't sue. Seriously. That's not cool.**

**See you next time, with a better chapter.**

**SD OUT**


	11. Nebraska Part 1

**Hey, guys!**

**Let's get started.**

**Chapter 11**

Riley giggled as I stroked her cheek, slapping my hand playfully in her fit. I gave a weak smile and kissed her head. She gurgled and closed her eyes, licking her lips as she slipped off to the land of dreams.

I couldn't help but feel a little jealous of my baby sister; the innocence that latched onto her in this harsh world. How could she still laugh and feel all this joy? Why couldn't I?

I smacked my forehead and swiped the thoughts away. I had no right. She was a baby; she didn't know what lay in wait out there. I did.

In fact, I didn't just know what was out there, I was _part_ of what was waiting.

Torturer, murderer, thief, monster... those were all titles that belonged in stories, disconnected from the world.

Now, they were a part of everyone's lives.

Now, they were a part of me.

A voice woke me from my reverie. "Hey, Jack." I spun around to the sight. Carl. I let go of a breath I hadn't noticed I was holding and forced the corner of my mouth up.

"Hi, Carl. What's up?" I asked lightly, drawing a veil over my true mood. I didn't fool him, evidently, as he swallowed before answering.

He told me, "They're having the funeral. Dad sent me to tell you." His mouth kept twitching upwards in an obvious attempt to smile comfortingly. I inwardly snorted. I seriously did not need pity right now. I merely nodded before turning to enter the tent but Carl grabbed my arm.

~"You did the right thing." His voice was grim, cold, almost emotionless. "Shooting her like that. I would've done it, too."

Then my best friend really did smile and walked away.

I exhaled heavily as I opened the bag. It wasn't what Carl had said that weighed on me, but the way in which he said it. He was growing cold, not hard. That was a bad thing. He sounded unfeeling, in a way, like shooting someone didn't matter.

Even I hadn't dropped that far.

I took out the black tie and fastened it around the collar of my dark red shirt, then combed my tangled mop of black hair. A dark brown windbreaker jacket slipped over my shoulders and I left the tent, pecking Riley on the cheek on my way out,

...

The service was over. The bodies had been buried, the dirt thrown in, the graves filled, everyone had said their piece (except me, I had glared at Herschel when he motioned for me to step forward; I had nothing to say) and now we stood in front of the graves of the three most important deaths for both of our groups, deafening silence echoing throughout the farm.

Even the birds had fallen silent in quiet reverence.

I was between Shane and my dad, Daryl next to him. My old man had as many tears running down his cheeks as Beth, who was being held by Jimmy. I had already done my crying and was simply wondering about the fairness in all of this.

Why did the world take such a sweet, adorable, innocent little girl away from us?

Even on the darkest of the early days, she managed to lighten everyone's spirits with a simple glance, and her gleeful smile was infectious. No matter what happened she would just run and run and smile and play and annoy the living hell out of everyone. But I loved her for it. So why was she taken away?

Because that was this new world's specialty. Swallowing up the innocent and spitting out the guilty, hardening them at first, then darkening their actions with every thing stolen. After everything they had was taken away, they would die, too.

Oh, not physically, no. But on the inside, they would be nothing but a shell, a husk. It happened to us all.

It will happen to me one day.

The wind began its gentle breeze and we wordlessly departed.

...

I was in the kitchen in the house, aiding Beth with whatever needed to be done; washing the dishes, sorting the food, setting the table for Herschel's family later on. My tie and jacket were back in the tent and my hair had become messy again. The girl had been kind enough to offer, and the smile she gave told me that she had every thought I had. She wasn't acting out of pity, which I despised getting. She was giving me something to take my mind off of recent events.

I couldn't help but smile slightly as I slotted the bread-knife into the holder and gave the 16-year-old a thankful look, which she returned, then looked down with the shine in her eyes dimmed.

Maggie and Glenn were speaking about whether Glenn would stay if the group got kicked off the farm. Well, Maggie was speaking, he was stuttering about it not being the time.

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Beth shaking slightly, one hand on the table, the other limp by her side. I narrowed my brow and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Beth?" I asked cautiously, cutting Glenn off as they turned to look at her. Beth glanced at me and her mouth twitched.

Then she collapsed onto me.

I caught the blonde in my arms and the two adults rushed over. Maggie swallowed and shook her sister.

"Beth? Sweetie?" Her voice was frantic.

Glenn laid a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder and told her, "Get your dad, we'll take her to her room." I nodded fervently and Maggie gave Beth another look before dashing out the door. "Okay, I'll take her legs. Come on."

We carried Beth to her bedroom and placed her gently on the bed. We gave each other a worried glance and returned our gaze to the girl before us.

I saw for the first time that her eyes were wide open.

Glenn leaned against the doorframe to the adjacent room on the other side and I sat at the bottom of the bed, next to her feet. My eye met his and we shared a look as Maggie came bounding back through the door.

"Can't find him," she muttered as she bent over her sister. She stroked Beth's face and licked her lips nervously. "Sweetie, can you hear me?"

Then Lori appeared at the door.

Maggie turned her head to the door and asked, "What's wrong with her?"

"She might be in shock," Lori replied confusedly. "Where's Herschel?"

Glenn told her defeatedly, "Can't find him anywhere." Lori rushed back out.

Maggie kneeled on the bed and took her sister's hand. "Hey, kiddo..." then she launched into an old childhood story. I didn't really pay much attention. Wasn't my business anyway. The three of us laid waiting for someone to come, guarding the girl in case she woke up.

...

Rick and I were standing by the Cherokee, checking the ammo on our respective guns. I had just the six rounds in my Python and one extra magazine for the silver pistol. Turns out Herschel was getting wasted at Hatlan's, the local pub, and I decided to tag along with Rick and Glenn to get him back so he could treat his daughter.

Speaking of Glenn...

The Korean was kissing Maggie goodbye, and she muttered something to him that caused him to visibly tense up. Holy shit, did she say what I think she said? In Daryl's words: Go, Chinaman!

I hadn't spoken to Sophia all day, and when I was sorting the belt I'd caught sight of her worried look as Carol got distracted by Daryl handing out a squirrel to everyone. We'd locked eyes for a moment before she simply nodded and turned her attention back to her work.

"You ready?" Rick asked us, knocking me out of my thoughts. Glenn told him yes while I nodded my affirmative and climbed into the backseat. I looked over to Maggie, who was standing by the door with her arms folded.

I sniggered quietly as Rick drove off, and we went to find Herschel.

...

**The end of Nebraska Part 1.**

**I know it can seem a little slow, but bear with, please.**

**Also, no, there will not be any romance between Beth and Jack. Perhaps a slight crush on either side, but he is with Sophia. Beth's a little too old for him anyway, a little over two years, and she's with Jimmy. On the other hand, he does look a few years older than he really is, and he's tall enough to be 16, so MAYBE in TV Show: Season Three there will be a little romance, but my mind isn't really made up.**

**Review your thoughts!**

**SD OUT**


	12. Nebraska Part 2

**Hey, guys!**

**Let's get started.**

**Chapter 12**

As the Cherokee drove down the road of the town Glenn fumbled nervously. Evidently he didn't like what Maggie said to him, or he just doesn't know what to make of it. I childishly smirked and played Beethoven's 1812 Overture with my fingers on my knee. Rick turned around and smiled encouragingly.

"Jack, you, uh... y'alright?" he asked carefully, like I was a pressure-bomb. I rolled my eye and he swallowed, changing tact. "Just... we worry. What happened at the barn... that shouldn'ta happened. It just ain't right."

I smiled back. "Yeah, Rick. Really, I'm fine. Just need a few days to actually process it. Doesn't feel real yet, y'know?" I mentally face-palmed. Of course he didn't know!

"I can't say I know what you're goin' through, but if ya wanna discuss it..." He left the sentence hanging and I nodded thankfully. At least he wasn't smothering me and 'making sure I was okay'. He was giving me my space, time to think. I liked that about Rick; he didn't force anybody into anything. He made sure you were okay with it first. I smiled to myself. He was a good leader, and a good father. Carl was lucky to have him.

After a few minutes Glenn told us what was bothering him. He licked his lips and fondled the shotgun.

"Maggie told me she loves me," he blurted suddenly. The three of us kept sharing glances and looks and the Asian chuckled nervously. "She didn't mean it. I mean, she can't." His voice changed. "Know what, she-she's upset. Uh... confused. She's probably feeli-" Rick cut him off.

He assured Glenn, "I think she's smart enough to know what she's feelin'."

"No... no..."

Rick and I snickered at his awkwardness.

"She... she... she wants to be in love, so she-she needs something to... to, like, hol-"

Rick cut him off again with, "Glenn, it's pretty obvious to everyone Maggie loves ya, and not because you're one of the last men standing, so what's the problem?"

"Yeah, man, just don't tell me you didn't say a damn thing back," I added humourously. Glenn visibly paled.

"I didn't say it back."

I sighed. Even I know never to leave a woman hanging, and I'm thirteen, for Christ's sake!

"I-I've never had a woman say that to me before," he excused himself. "Except my mom, of course, an-and my sisters. But with Maggie it's different. I mean we-we barely know each other. What does she really know about me? Nothing. We're practically... strangers," he finished off dejectedly.

I grabbed his shoulder. "Strangers who have a lot of sex and spend a lot of time with each other," I knocked his excuse down.

"I-I-I didn't know what to do with it, I just stood there like a jerk," he said. Rick and I glanced at each other disbelievingly.

Rick told him, "Hey, hey, this is a good thing. Somethin' we don't get enough of these days. Enjoy it," he ordered firmly. "When you get back, return the favour. It's not like she's goin' anywhere."

"Yeah, she'll wait," I put in. "And if she gets pissed, you sit there and you take it. Then if she starts getting breathless and she hasn't stopped yet kiss her lights out. Fall for it every time. My brother's advice," I added hastily as the two laughed. "Not like I'd have the guts to try that."

Glenn gave us both a thankful look and turned his gaze down as we pulled up in front of Harlan's.

"Rick," Glenn started. "We both know about Lori. Her being pregnant. We got her those pills."

Rick pursed his lips and bluntly muttered, "I know. Jack told me about it in the first place." We got out and entered the pub.

Rick kicked the door in and walked in, Python raised. Glenn followed with the shotgun and I brought up the rear with my silver pistol. I still didn't know the make but that was the least of my problems just now.

The place was empty, except for a familiar white-haired man nursing a glass of whiskey at the bar.

Glenn closed the door and Rick called, "Herschel?"

The farmer sighed. "Who's with you?" he inquired tiredly.

After a moment Rick replied, "Glenn, Jack." Herschel looked up to the optics.

"Maggie send him?" he asked, referring to Glenn.

"He volunteered," Rick told him calmly. "He's good like that. They both are." We walked forward and Rick stood next to Herschel, who took another swallow of whiskey. "How many you had?"

Hershel sighed again. "Not enough." Rick leaned in, one arm on the bar.

"Let's finish this up back at home," he suggested. When the old man didn't reply he continued, "Beth collapsed. She's in some... sort of state. Must be in shock. I think you are too."

After a moment Hershel asked, "Maggie's with her?"

"Yes," Rick answered impatiently. "But Beth needs you."

"What could I do?" The farmer sounded melancholic. Empty, almost. "She needs her mother. Or rather to mourn, like she shoulda done weeks ago. I robbed her of that. I see that now." He took another gulp as Rick spoke.

"You thought there was a cure. Can't blame yourself for holdin' out for hope." Rick had a small smile on his face, but it was wiped off at Hershel's reply.

"Hope?" he repeated rhetorically, then smiled bitterly at Rick. "When I first saw you runnin' across my field with your boy in your arms... I had little hope he'd survive."

"But he did." Hershel nodded respectfully.

"He did. Even though we lost Otis... your man Shane made it back, and we saved your boy. That was the miracle that proved to me that miracles _do_ exist." Then his voice dulled. "Only it was a sham. A bait and switch." He looked back up to the optics. "I was a fool, Rick. And you people saw that." He went back to playing with his glass. "My daughters deserve better than that."

Hershel downed his glass and refilled it.

...

It had been a while, and the sun was setting. Glenn and I were leaning against opposite doorframes as Rick approached.

"So, what do we do?" Glenn asked. "Just wait for him to pass out?"

"I don't think his family ate last night," I replied, gripping the pistol tightly, frustrated with the old man's stubbornness and self-pity. "And if he drinks himself to death he'll have a hangover in the mornin' and he won't be in any condition to help Beth. Longer she stays like that, bigger chance she'll starve."

"Just go," Hershel ordered. "Just go!"

Rick took a step towards him, telling him, "I promised Maggie I'd bring ya home safe." Hershel chuckled humourlessly.

"Like the boy promised his sister?" he retorted cruelly.

My face immediately screwed up and I looked outside, forcing my tears back down. My throat was dry and tight, the remaining light of the sun darkening with my mood. The skin on my face was hot and the sweat on my forehead intensified despite the cold Georgia night. That was a knife through the heart.

Unable to hold it in, I dropped the pistol and brought my hand to my mouth, fighting the impulse to sob as small tears leaked out.

I felt Rick pull me into his embrace. I buried my face into his shoulder and quietly allowed the tears to flow.

"That wasn't fair!" Glenn scolded Hershel, who sighed.

He replied dryly, "You're right. It's not. But nothin' is anymore. From what I hear he knows that better than most." I heard Glenn march up to him.

"He's still a kid!" he hissed. "And he blames himself for too much already!" Then he came back. I felt a rush of affection for Glenn right now. I managed to get the tears to stop and pulled away. Rick held my face in his hands and silently asked if I was okay. I swallowed and nodded, picking up the pistol and wiping my face dry as Rick stomped towards Hershel.

He demanded angrily, "So what's your plan? Finish that bottle?! Drink yourself to death and leave your girls alone?!" Hershel stood up and turned around, glaring heavily at Rick.

"Stop tellin' me how to care for my family!" he shouted. "My farm! You people are like a plague! I do the Christian thing, give you shelter, and you destroyed it all! Even more so than the last!"

Rick got into his face. "The world was already in bad shape when we met!" he argued.

"And you take no responsibilty?! You're supposed to be their leader!"

"Well, I'm here now!" Rick yelled back. "Aren't I?!" The red lessened from Hershel's face as he stepped back.

"Yes... yes... yes, you are," he admitted, sitting back down. He took another sip as Rick stood next to him.

Our leader said, "Come on. Your girls need you now. More than ever." He placed a hand on Hershel's shoulder but the drunk threw his arm away.

"I didn't want to believe you," he said drunkenly. "You told me there was no cure. That these people were dead, not sick. I chose not believe that. But when Shane shot Lou in the chest, and she just kept comin'... that's when I knew what an ass I'd been. That Annette had been dead long ago, and I was feedin' her rotten corpse! That's when I knew there was no hope."

Then of course he had to bring her up.

"And when that little girl came out the barn... the look on your face when her father and brother started crying at the very sight of her... I knew you knew it, too. Right? There is no hope, and you know it now, like I do. Don't you?"

Rick didn't reply.

"There is no hope for any of us."

Glenn and I walked up to the bar as Rick threw his arms in the air.

"Look, I'm done," he told Hershel. "I'm not doin' this anymore. Cleanin' up after you." He sounded disgusted. "Y'know what the truth is? Nothing has changed. Death is death, it's always been there. Whether it's from a heart attack, cancer or a walker, what's the difference? You didn't think it was hopeless before, did you? And now there are people back home tryin' to hang on and they need us. Even if it's just to give them a reason to go on. Ev-even if we don't believe it ourselves!"

He sighed and continued.

"Y'know what, this isn't about what we believe anymore. It's about them."

I couldn't look at Hershel but I heard him down his whiskey glass and slam it upside down on the bar. I heard Rick clap him on the shoulder and I heard the doors open.

That's when my head snapped up to see two men, one a lean Caucasian wearing a ripped beige-green vest and cargo trousers, the other a fat man with a European complexion wearing a white t-shirt, an Italian beret-type hat worn to the front and beige trousers. A shotgun hung over his back.

"Son of a bitch," the lean one said to his buddy. "They're alive."

...

Glenn and I were behind the bar, Hershel still in his seat and Rick on his feet, pouring whiskey for the lean man, who was sat at a table facing the bar and his fat pal was next to Hershel.

"I'm Dave," lean man said. "That scrawny-lookin' douchebag there is Tony."

Fat boy chuckled, "Ha, eat me, Dave!" I noted his New-York-Italiano accent, resurfacing the time Davie showed me 'The Godfather' with his buddies.

"Hey, maybe some day I will," Dave informed him in a mock-serious manner and grabbed his glass. "We met on 995 comin' outta Philly. Damn shit-show that was.

"I'm Glenn," said man introduced. "It's nice to meet some new people."

"Rick Grimes."

"Jack."

Dave pointed to Hershel. "How 'bout you, Bill Halwin?"

"I just quit," the old man told him.

"You got a unique sense of timing, my friend," Dave said with a grin.

"His name's Hershel," Rick informed them. "He lost people yesterday. A lot of 'em. Jack too."

Dave glanced at us both before raising his glass with a solemn expression. "I'm truly sorry to hear that," he sympathised, and sounded it, too. "To better days and new friends." Then he turned his gaze to me. "And to our dead, kiddo. May they be in a better place."

We all downed a glass of whiskey, and I saw Hershel, Dave and Tony's surprise at seeing a 13-year-old drinking straight whiskey. Rick did too.

"We, uh... we went to the CDC," he told them with a chuckle. "Jack here had as big a hangover as Glenn, and he was clutching his head, begging us not to let him drink again." We all laughed except Glenn, who managed to fake a glare. "Jack was better at hiding it, though."

"Runs in the family," I announced with a smile, Hershel's hurtful comment forgotten. Everyone chuckled again.

Tony asked, "CDC? You been there?"

"Yeah," Glenn replied. "It's... gone, now. Blown to hell."

Dave muttered, "Shit. There's goes the mystery cure."

He reached over to put his glass down and locked eyes with Rick, who was eyeing him suspiciously. Now I think about it, there _was_ something off about them. They were too nice for a pair of complete strangers. Too... normal. Dave pulled out a pistol and I gripped mine in its holster, but eased it when he presented his to Rick with his hand on the barrel instead of the grip. I didn't totally let go, though. I sat my glass down as Dave spoke.

"Not bad, huh?" Then he took the grip and gazed at it for a second. "Got it off a cop."

"I'm a cop," Rick told him edgedly.

Dave assured him, "This one was already dead," then put the pistol back behind his trousers.

After an awkward silence Rick remarked, "You guys are a long way from Philadelphia."

"Feels like we're a long way from anywhere," Tony retorted.

"What drove you south?"

"Well, I can tell you it wasn't the weather," Dave criticised, feeling his face. "Must've dropped 20 pounds in sweat alone out here."

"I wish," Tony put in, motioning to his 'mass'.

"First it was DC. Heard there might be some kinda refugee camp, but, uh... the roads were so jammed we never really got close. We decided to get off the highways, into the sticks, keep haulin' ass. Every group we came across had a new room or a way outta this thing."

"One guy told us there was a coastguard sent down the Gulf, sendin' ferries to the islands."

"Latest was a railyard in Montgomery runnin' trains through the middle o' the country: Kansas, Nebraska..."

"Nebraska?" Glenn chuckled disbelievingly.

"Whole population?" Tony said. "Lots o' guns."

Glenn nodded. "Kinda makes sense."

"Ever been to Nebraska, kid?" Dave asked him. "There's a reason they call 'em 'flyover states'."

He and Tony shared a laugh before he turned back to Rick.

"How 'bout you guys?" he inquired curiously.

Rick answered, "Fort Benning, eventually." Dave raised an eyebrow.

"Hate to piss in your Cornflakes, officer," he started empathetically. "But, um... we run across a grunt was stationed at Benning. Said the place is overrun by lamebrains."

"Wait, Fort Benning is gone?" Glenn asked incredulously. "Are you for real?"

"Sadly, I am. Ugly truth is... there is no way outta this mess. Just keep goin' from one pipe dream to the next, prayin' one o' these mindless freaks doesn't grab a hold o' ya when you sleep."

Tony interrupted, "If you sleep." Dave glanced at the door and swallowed before turning back to us.

"Yeah, don't look like you guys are hanging your hats here. Y-yo-you holed up someplace else?"

"Not really," Rick lied smoothly. Dave raised his eyebrows, clearly not believing him.

He asked, "Those your cars out front?"

Rick nodded as Glenn replied, "Yeah. Why?"

"Well, we're livin' outta ours. Yours look, uh... kinda empty and clean. Where's all your gear?" Now my defenses were up fully. They were with others. It was easy to tell by the way he kept looking outside nervously and they weren't friendly if they were anything like Tony, who was obviously giving us a very unconvincing facade. They wanted to know where we lived. Shit was about to go down fast.

Hershel answered, "We're with a larger group. Out scouting. Thought we could use a drink."

"A drink, Hershel?" Dave laughed. "I thought you qu-" He cut himself off when he realised his mistake. Earlier Hershel said he'd _just_ quit. So how did he know about him already having quit? He quickly changed the subject. "Well, we're thinkin' of settin' up around here, is it-is it safe?"

"Can be," Glenn told him, but quivered under me and Rick's combined glares. "Uh, but, uh... killed a few walkers around here."

"Walkers?" Dave asked with a grin. "That what you call 'em? That's good." He scratched his head awkwardly. "I like that. I like it better than lamebrains." Tony said something I didn't understand and Dave remarked, "Okay, Tony went to college."

Tony reminded him, "Two years." 

"So wha-so what, uh, you guys set up on the outskirts of somethin'? That new development?"

"Trailer park or somethin'?" Tony asked, getting off his stool and going to the jukebox. "Farm."

Dave sung under his breath," Old McDonald had a farm... you on a farm?" Then a drizzle came from Tony's direction. I looked over and wished immediately that I hadn't.

Tony was having a pish on the jukebox, humming to himself.

"Good Lord, man!" I exclaimed, causing everyone to jump. "Pit yer pecker away! Naebody wants tae see ye pishin' in front ae us!"

Tony just laughed while Dave commented humourously, "Scotland, huh? Went on vacation there about, uh... three years back. Almost got stabbed for shouting at the television during a soccer game. Some guys in green against these other guys in blue."

"Celtic v Rangers," I told him. "Old Firm match. Better tae stay silent if ye don't want a bottle ower the heid." Dave chuckled.

"Yeah. Someone else _did_ get stabbed, though. On the stadium, in the crowd. Scary stuff. Anyway, uh... this farm... you guys got food? Water?"

"Ya got coos?" Tony inquired, not taking his eyes off his still-exposed junk, wiggling it around to get the rest out. "Ain't had a piece o' ass for weeks."

Dave rubbed his forehead. "Ah, accept my pardon, my friends. City kids, they got no tact. No disrespect," he added to Glenn, who shrugged. "So, listen, Glenn-"

"We've said enough," Rick cut him off coldly.

"Well, hang on a second," Dave begged. "This farm... sounds pretty sweet. Don't it sound sweet, Tony?"

"Yeah," fat boy agreed, coming slightly forward from the jukebox, his 'area' thankfully away. "Real sweet."

"Little bit o' Southern Hospitality," Dave continued. "We got some buddies back at camp, been havin' a real hard time. Don't see why you can't make room for a few more. We can pool our resources and manpow-"

Rick interrupted, "Look, I'm sorry. It's not an option."

After a second Dave persisted, "Don't sound like it's be a problem."

"I'm sorry," Hershel told him. "We can't."

"We can't take in any more," Rick declared. Dave chuckled and rubbed his head again.

"You guys are somethin' else," he remarked. "I thought, y'know-I thought we were friends? We got people we gotta look out for, too."

"We don't know anything about you."

"That's true," he agreed with Rick. "You don't know anything about us. You don't know what we've had to go through out there. The things we've had to do... I bet you've had to do some of those same things yourself, am I right?"

He was looking at me now, not Rick. He gave a small smirk when he saw he was right. Even the young do horrible things to survive.

"See?" Dave announced. "Ain't nobody's hands clean in what's left of this world. We're all the same. So come on, let's... let's take a nice, friendly hayride to this, uh, farm, and... we'll get to know each other."

Rick looked at his glass for a second before raising one arm in exasperation. "That's not gonna happen," he told them with a sorry smile.

Tony argued, "Rick, this is bullshit!"

"Calm down," Rick ordered.

"Don't tell me to calm down!" he retorted angrily. "Don't _ever_ tell me to calm down! I'll shoot you four assholes in the head and take your damn farm!"

I pointed my pistol at his head before he could draw his shotgun on Rick. All eyes turned to me as I glared coldly at the fat bastard as he backed off and Dave jumped up.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, relax," he told everyone with a grin, slapping Rick on the shoulder. "Take it easy. Nobody's killin' anybody." He climbed the side-bar as he continued, "Nobody's shootin' anybody, right, Rick?" He landed on the other side and eyed me. "Jack?"

Still glaring at Fat Tony, I slowly placed my pistol on the bar table.

I looked to Dave, who smiled appreciatively before reaching for his own weapon. I placed a hand over my own, Tony grabbed his shotgun over his back and Rick caressed his Python. Dave smirked playfully as he laid his gun on the side-bar table and commented, "Just friends havin' a drink, that's all."

Friends. Right.

"Now," Dave exclaimed, arms wide. "Where's the good stuff, huh?" He rubbed his hands furiously and crouched behind the bar. "Good stuff, good stuff, good stuff!"

Rick held a hand over his Python again and Dave noticed, glancing at him before bringing out a bottle of whiskey.

"Hey," he remarked. "Look at that. That'll work." He sighed and began pouring a glass. "You gotta understand. We can't stay out there. You know what it's like."

"Yeah," Rick replied, knowing that Dave was looking at me. "I do. But the farm is too crowded as is. I'm sorry." His chin was shaking irritatedly. "You'll have to keep lookin'."

"Keep lookin'," Dave repeated disbelievingly, breathing in. "Where do you suggest we do that?" Rick thought for a bit before shrugging.

"I don't know," he admitted, then decided to be a smartarse. "I hear Nebraska's nice."

Dave laughed, nodding to Tony. "Nebraska. This guy..."

His grin dropped as he grabbed his weapon.

Dave never managed to lift it before Rick shot him dead, and I grabbed mine.

Then a burst of pain exploded in my right shoulder. I screamed.

Then another in the left side of my waist. I screamed again and slumped against the wall, whimpering as Glenn and Hershel rushed down to me.

Blood leaked from my wounds and the pain spread throughout my body, pinning me to the ground. I gasped for the disappearing air, drowning from lack of oxygen.

Shit, shit, shit: I was dying.

I heard a squeal and looked over Glenn's shoulder to see Tony with a red hole in his arm, then Rick smashed the whiskey bottle against the bar and stalked towards the pig with a murderous gleam in his eyes. He grabbed Tony's whimpering face and stabbed the bottle into his gut, almost completely imbedding it in him before headbutting him and grabbing his t-shirt, shoving him against the bar.

I saw the satisfied smirk on Rick's face as he sneered at Tony, then put a bullet through his brain.

Rick hopped the body and crouched down with a worried look before all went dark.

...

**And that's the end of the chappie with Dave and Tony. LONGEST CHAPTER I'VE EVER WRITTEN!**

**Was Jack's reaction to Hershel's comment in character? I felt it was, since he not only has a tendency to take responsibility for everything, but is also extremely loyal to the people he cares about. Hope you enjoy seeing him become more human, with him seeing the group as his family, not just Riley or his dad (who his relationship with is beginning to improve) and the fact that he isn't just this cold-blooded killer.**

**How do you want the injuries to go? Fix relatively quickly, or get infected and worsen?**

**How should Jack react to Randall's capture? I have his view on execution set but how do you want Jack to view Randall personally?**

**Was Rick too OOC at the end? I know it is OOC, but whenever those closest to him are threatened he goes crazy. When Lori died, he went on a walker-slaughter through the prison's catacombs, and when Carl almost got raped he tore a guy's throat out with his bare teeth then continously stabbed the rapist time and again whilst Carl watched. And he sees Jack as his own, despite his dad being there, so... yeah.**

**Hope you enjoyed the chappie and look forward to your reviews!**

**SD OUT**


	13. Season 2 Profile

**BASIC INFORMATION**

**Name: Jack McKenzie**

**Age: 13**

**Old World Living Area: A small town near Glasgow in **

**Scotland**

**Family: Mother (Helen)-DECEASED, Father (Robert)-ALIVE, Older **

**Brother (Davie)-DECEASED, 8-Year-Old Sister (Natalie)-DECEASED, 6-Month-Old **

**Sister (Riley)-ALIVE**

**Theme Song: Fear is How I Fall (Also name and song of a WD trailer on Youtube by Grable424)**

**Physical Appearance**

**Skin: white, pale complexion with slight tan**

**Eye: CALM-warm chocolate brown, SAD-pale sickly brown, **

**HAPPY-glinting mahogany brown, ANGRY-dark threatening brown, ABSOLUTELY PISSED **

**OFF-dark, swirling brown vortex, almost black**

**Hair: Black, shorter and choppy**

**Eyebrows: arched**

**Nose: straight, defined**

**Mouth: full, pale pink**

**Chin: strong**

**Jaw: slightly angled**

**ONE EYE DUE TO BEING SHOT BY ANDREA**

**PERSONALITY**

**Attitude to Apocalypse: pragmatic, realistic, no longer hopeful or optimistic about future**

**Hasn't been hidden from reality of the New World, has seen terrible **

**acts of cruelty and monstrous people**

**Experienced loss- lost mother, brother, and sister **

**Had to make terrible choices- put down mother, brother and sister, left sister **

**behind with Old Group**

**Knows what has to be done to survive- trained in ways of killing **

**walkers with guns and knives, hunting, camping, cooking and **

**scavenging**

**Knows his own capabilities**

**Has a knack for judging others**

**Can tell when he is being lied to**

**Extremely vengeful**

**Attitude towards others- sarcastic, kind, suspicious at first (due to **

**Old Group) but caring and loyal once a connection has been made, can become cold **

**when hard decisions have to be made, not afraid to put in own opinion or risk **

**own life to protect others, occasionally prideful and expects everything from **

**himself, when judgement has been made it is almost impossible to change his **

**mind, slightly hypocritical, small amount of arrogance, sees himself as 'above' **

**others due to experiences, extremely vengeful when he or friends are wronged, **

**extends to murderous when family is wronged**

**RELATIONSHIPS**

**Rick: respects and admires him for strength and determination in finding his family. Sees him as a leader and a father figure. Knows he will do whatever it takes to protect his family. Has a small father/son relationship with. WILL PROTECT WITH OWN LIFE**

**Glenn: respects for bravery, sarcasm and general personality. Has developed a good friendship WILL PROTECT WITH OWN LIFE**

**Sophia: girlfriend, caring and protective yet worried about naivety. Enjoys company and has already run to certain death to protect her. WILL PROTECT WITH OWN LIFE**

**Carl: best friend. Training him for the apocalypse. Messes around with and acts like a normal teenager around him. Is concerned about lack of feeling about deaths; wants him hardened, not cold. WILL PROTECT WITH OWN LIFE**

**Lori: respects and scornful at same time for protectiveness of Carl **

**and attempts to keep her family together. Sees inner strength. Knows something **

**is going on with Shane. WILL PROTECT BUT NOT WITH OWN LIFE**

**Shane: despises his pretenses at being 'strong' and often butts heads with despite the man's size. Knows something is going on with Lori. DOES NOT CARE IF HE IS TORN APART BY WALKERS**

**T-Dog: respects strength and determination but is disapproving of **

**sensitivity to Merle's insults. WILL PROTECT BUT NOT WITH OWN LIFE**

**Carol: admires inner strength and sees ability to survive. Slightly afraid of her due to her being his girlfriend's mother, but is easy around her nonetheless. WILL PROTECT WITH OWN LIFE**

**Dale: respects wisdom and admires lack of fear to voice own opinion. WILL PROTECT WITH OWN LIFE**

**Andrea: admires strength and determination to survive. Feels guilt over Amy's death and has slight doubts over whether she really thought he was a walker when she shot him. Has a decent relationship with regardless. WILL PROTECT WITH OWN LIFE**

**Daryl: respects strength and loyalty to his brother. Acknowledges difficulties with being friends with others but admires skills and ability to survive. WILL PROTECT WITH OWN LIFE**

**Riley McKenzie: 7-month-old sister Loves more than anything in the world. Sees duty to protect and prepare for apocalypse (he is the 'leader' of the family now), places family above everything else. WILL PROTECT WITH OWN LIFE AND THE LIVES OF THE ENTIRE GROUP**

**Robert McKenzie: father. Hates and publicly scorns sight of walkers as 'sick'. Despises for blaming him for family's deaths but secretly yearns for repaired relationship. Feels guilty over mother and sister's deaths. Has disowned him from family, warning him to stay away from Riley. WOULD LEAVE TO WALKERS BUT REGRET IT LATER**

**Hershel Greene: admires strength and respects determination to protect family. Is scornful of bilsight of walkers as 'sick' and is severely hurt when Hershel blames him for Natalie's death, despite drunkenness. WILL PROTECT BUT NOT WITH OWN LIFE**

**Maggie Greene: respects inner strength and ability to survive. Sees as caring and determined yet secretly enjoys treatment of Glenn. WILL PROTECT WITH OWN LIFE**

**Beth Greene: scornful of weakness and childishness yet sees inner strength and survival ability. Is extremely worried when she collapses after barn massacre and appreciates caring gestures. WILL PROTECT BUT NOT WITH OWN LIFE**


	14. 18 Miles Out Part 1

**Hey, guys!**

**You asked for it to be worse, and your wish is my command. I can only hope I've done a decent job.**

**Let's get started!**

**Chapter 13**

Pain.

That was the first thing that registered in my mind.

But where?

It felt like my right shoulder and left waist were really warm. Sometimes it was my lungs, my stomach, my leg, my heart...

Wait! What's that?

Voices?

_"... looks bad..."_

_"... make him better?..."_

_"... don't know..."_

_"... wake up... please..."_

It was impossible to tell who said what, but I think the main voices were Rick and Hershel. Was it?

All I knew was that I was hurting bad, all over, my brain had burst into flames, and that I just wanted someone, _anyone_, to come and help me. But I couldn't scream for help like I wanted, or beg for it to stop.

The pain never stopped, never relented in the slightest.

The damn thing just never gave up.

...

The inky blackness was cast out by an immediate glare of white, burning my good eye right out of its socket. A small heat burned nearby, contrasting greatly with the freezing ice running through my veins, and I felt something cold and hard pierce my shoulder, sending waves of pain down my arm and through my chest. The object rummaged around, begging for some small scrap of... something.

Despite the pain, I couldn't cry out. I couldn't see what was going on; my eye refused to obey me. My entire body was frozen to the core. only moving when it was made to by some outside force. What was happening? Why was it happening? What had _happened?!_

The last thing I remembered was sitting in a car with Rick and Glenn, heading somewhere for a reason that escaped me. Glenn had said something and I had teased him. Not that many details were open to me. Goddamn it, what the hell was going on?!

Then my eye opened.

Another flare was shoved up against it, and through the burning light I saw a familiar old man with white hair.

Once he took the light away all went dark again, and I fell to unconsciousness.

...

"Come on, kiddo. It's not that hard. Just open that damn eye so I know you're alright. Then I can tell the others."

"Rick, leave it. He'll wake up when he's good and ready."

"I can't, Shane. I just... I just can't."

"There ya go, feelin' guilty again! Look, just come get somethin' to eat, man."

Silence.

It was a while before it was broken.

"Yeah, you're right."

Rick? He'd know what was up. Rick!

Wait, hold up. I hadn't been... no. No way...

I hadn't been _bitten_ again, had I?

Nah, if I had, I'd likely be hallucinating, seeing things. I couldn't see shit right now.

Oh, wait. Now I can.

My eye flickered open, fighting the flame to my side. A flash of curly brown hair and a black shirt disappeared into the hallway before my lips managed to part, releasing a single breath.

_"wait..."_

...

Why did this have to happen?

Why did all of this shit have to happen to me? Huh, why me?!

The plane crash, shoving an axe into my own mother's head, being blamed by my father, the deception, rape and murder by the Old Group, seeing Davie get gunned down right in front of me, running away, being seperated from my sisters, thinking my father was dead, Atlanta, the camp, Ed, the Fish Fry, getting bit, Jim, the CDC, getting Riley back, torturing and killing the Old Group, the Highway Herd, the forest, getting shot, losing my eye, my father returning, the Barn Massacre, seeing Natalie, having to...

Why did the world have to go to hell?! Why why why?!

Why did...

Why did mum have to die? Davie? Amy? Jim? Jacqui? Natalie?

Just... why?

A tear rolled down my cheek as nobody came for me, leaving me alone to wallow in my despair.

...

"Hey, he's wakin' up! Get Hershel!"

"I'm here, Glenn!"

A worn yet firm hand gripped my chin and wise old eyes studied my face; catching the slight movements of my pupil as it responded to the jerky environment, making sure everything was going to plan. The slight lift of the corner of his lip told me things were looking good. But then why was I feeling even hotter than earlier?

Hershel drew back and announced, "He's doing... okay."

"Wait," Glenn interrupted, though not rudely. "You hesitated. Why?" The old man seemed to consider for a moment before sighing and setting his jaw, looking Glenn right in the eye.

"Yes, the gunshots do seem to be healing well enough," he began formally. Gunshots? "But on the other hand, infection's already set in. Parts of the wounds have become necrotic."

My father cut him off. "So we give him antibiotics. What's the big deal?"

Hershel's nose twitched in annoyance and continued irritatedly, "We don't have them. Without them, it's up to our friend here to fight it off. It is his job to survive; all we can do is keep him as well fed and watered as we can and hope for the best." I swallowed, ignoring the slight burn in my dry throat.

"So..." I started nervously, getting the attention of everyone (Hershel, Glenn, my dad and Carol(Sophia was sleeping)) as all eyes turned on me. "I just lie in bed and wait for it to go away?" I noticed the strain in my voice, like I had the flu or something. (AN: no, this is not the flu from TV Season 4)

"Pretty much," the farmer answered. "You should get some more rest, son. Some food'll be brought when you wake up." Then he gave me a warm smile and left.

I felt better about it now. If Hershel figured it was as simple as that, I trusted him. He was the medical expert around here.

I exhaled and laid my head back on the pillow as Carol smiled caringly, gently coaxed her daughter onto the chair as she eased off and placed a hand on my good shoulder before exiting. Sophia's breaths were gradual and light, her chest rising slowly under the blue jacket that had been laid over her. After a few moments of watching her angelic face as she slept a small smile made its way unbidden to my lips.

"D'aww," cooed Glenn mockingly. "Is you wiking woching yer wittle giwlfwend." His voice was childish and annoying and I wanted to punch him for it. My glare caused him to falter and start again. "Sorry. Y'alright?"

I replied with a smirk, "Yeah. Warm, but yeah. What happened?"

"You don't remember?"

I gave my dad a 'what's he on' look and he laughed. "Of course I do!" I said sarcastically. "I'm just enjoying the highlight reel!"

"Ha, ha, ha. Alright, alright."

And so Glenn told me everything. Every tiny little detail. As I listened, the pain was numbed, my mind focusing on other things. I sniggered at Glenn's nervousness about Maggie, tried to get pissed off at Hershel for making that comment about Natalie, though I couldn't really. As soon as Glenn mentioned Dave and Tony I knew they were trouble, and that was confirmed when he told me about the gunfight, which ended with me passed out against the wall with two bullet holes in me. However, I was surprised when he described Rick's anger at Tony, and his retaliation.

"Honestly, man, he was really goddamn scary," Glenn said, eyes wide and voice slightly quivering. "For a moment I kinda half-expected him to attack us next. That's how nuts the guy looked. But he just got worried about you and crouched down, demanding Hershel to fix you. Then the car pulled up outside."

"Car?" I asked confusedly, then it dawned on me. "The rest of Dave's group." Glenn replied with a nod.

"We had to leave you at the wall and crouch at the other wall, near the door. They were about to leave when Rick called out that they fired on us, tried to negotiate with 'em." I rolled my eye. "Another gunfight. Hershel picked you up and we went out the back door, taking cover in the alleyway. We were making our way through the gunfire, but one hit the wall behind me, and I..." His voice was guilty, anxious, angry. All of those. "I froze. I hid. And you know why? Maggie."

My eyebrow raised. He was blaming Maggie for him freezing up? How the hell was it her fault? I was about to say as much when he started talking again.

"I thought about her," he explained heavily. "What she said. And I... I just couldn't stop imagining what she'd be like if I died, without... saying it back. If she didn't know for sure. And I only thought of myself and left you guys to fend for yourselves. I'm sorry."

I guess he wasn't expecting me to smirk because when I did his brows narrowed.

"You froze up. You didn't have a choice," I told him calmly. "You think you do when you look back on it, but in a moment, when things are really out of control? You don't have any choice." Glenn considered this for moment.

"... I guess," he said finally, the guilt not washed away. He gave me a thankful smile. "Thanks, man." Then he turned and left.

My dad sat next to me and took my hand, looking at the ground. I ground my teeth, glaring. What the fuck did he want?

After a while he said, "... I'm sorry."

I was no longer glaring, or clenching my teeth. I was just staring at him in surprise. He was apologising?

"You were right," he admitted painfully. "About the walkers. Your mum... she would've killed you. She was dead already. And it wasn't fair of me to attack you constantly for it, to blame you when you were grieving too."

"No," I muttered bitterly. "It wasn't." He just bit his lip and continued.

"I've known. Since Shane kept shooting that woman in the chest, and she just wouldn't stop... I knew that she was dead, that you were no murderer." I felt a little guilty at that. I'd done worse than murder. "Hoyt doesn't count," he told me, looking me in the eye. "Quite frankly, I'd do anything to get my hands to that disgusting prick."

I half-smiled as we agreed on something for the first time in a long time, he returned it and started again.

"And when Hershel lifted you out of that car, all shot to hell... I couldn't stop thinking... I've been a terrible father. I let one son get gunned down right in front of me, I left one daughter behind with those arseholes, left the other to fend for herself, which led to her getting killed, and when I was finally reunited with my other son... I pushed him away. I was trying so desperately to go back to the way things were, and instead I ended up just making him hate me."

His voice was so pained, so broken, that I had to look down.

"He knows that we have to change, to adapt, and I couldn't face that, so I acted like he didn't have to change, like he was being unreasonable, like he was in the wrong. And now I realise... there is no wrong anymore. I guess what I'm trying to say is..."

I gave him a 'go on' look.

"I can't bear to lose you on top of everything else. And I want to try again, if you'll let me."

I thought for a minute, processing it all. He wanted to 'try again' after the shit he pulled? Dick.

Another voice rose up in the back of my head, whispering, "You'll regret it if you don't."

The two voices were fighting and eventually screaming at one another, giving me a massive headache so I just blurted out, "No."

He didn't seem surprised, or defeated, or even angry. He just looked at the floor sadly, as though he'd expected the answer.

"Not yet anyway. Maybe some day."

His eyes shot up and he gave me a hopeful smile, glancing at Sophia.

"Okay," he said with slight vigour. "I'll leave you to continue staring hopelessly at your girl."

"Hey!" I exclaimed, whacking him. We laughed a little and he left, stopping at the door. Instead of speaking he just smiled and nodded before leaving.

...

For a while I did just that, stared at my girlfriend. She looked so peaceful sleeping, beautiful despite the wear of the apocalypse. Her features were aged slightly, not old-looking, but matured by a few years, making her seem to be around 15.

I know it seems a little creepy, but I just laid there and took in as much detail as I could; the enticing slant of her jaw as it worked down to her small chin, the curve upwards to her full, pouting lips which I just wanted to kiss right now. After lingering for a while my eye continued its journey to her perky nose, the almond shape of her eyes, her elegant cheekbones and the golden glint of her hair as the sun shone on it, glistening the now shoulder-length waves.

I took in her slim, milky neck, her protruding breasts, not too big for our age, the flat of her stomach, her long, shapely legs crunched in beneath her. A smile rose to my lips.

It was only when one eyebrow raised that I realised I'd in fact been staring.

I came back and saw the smile on her lips as she came over and crouched down in front of me, a slight blush on both of our faces. I _had _been staring creepily at her after all. Must've come off as some kind of pervert.

"Hey," she said softly, taking my hand.

I replied, "Hey," and squeezed hers. "I miss anything?"

She smlied and kissed mine. "Well, Beth's awake." She stopped and looked at me intently, waiting for my reaction. When I just nodded for her to go on her smile turned into a slight grin, though the strange look didn't leave her eyes. What was that about? "Lori came after you guys and crashed Maggie's car. Shane went after her and brought her back. Rick and Shane took Randall out someplace so he doesn't bring his group back here. They still aren't back yet."

"Wait," I interrupted quickly. "Who's Randall?" Her eyes widened for a moment.

She muttered, "Oh, yeah. In town one of the guys that shot at you three got left behind. His leg was through the spike in a fence, tore right through it. Rick tore it back it out and they brought him here. Hershel fixed him up and Rick and Shane are taking him far enough out so he can't tell his group where the farm is." She smirked. "Maybe now you'll stop taking suicide missions."

I gave her a wofish grin, replying, "Can you seriously see that happening?"

Sophia thought for a bit, lips pursed as she frowned and looked down. Eventually she snorted and smiled at me, leaning in to peck my cheek. She pulled back slightly and whispered into my ear, "Not a chance." I shivered as the feeling ran down my back. Sophia smirked and sat on the bed. "So, how you feelin'?"

I slipped my arm around her waist, kissing her upper arm. "Better now you're here." She sighed and gave a small chuckle.

"I meant in a non-cheesy way," she commented, patting my leg and making herself more comfortable.

"Well..." I thought for a moment, then my head flared up and sweat poured down. My face screwed up from the pain as my shoulder and waist were lit with fire. I grunted, "Kinda warm." Her face was worried despite my attempt at a reassuring smile, which was resolutely destroyed when a boiling feeling rose from my gut. Oh shit! "Need a bucket or something!"

Sophia nodded quickly and rushed out, returning with Hershel after a few seconds, who was holding a pale-blue plastic bucket. I grabbed it and retched up as much sick as I needed to, eventually just spitting the rest out. I slumped back and opened my eye, to the sight of the worried faces of Hershel, Sophia and Lori. I frowned confusedly and looked into the bucket.

Shit. My eye widened.

I was puking blood.

**...**

**So there's the end of the chappie!**

**So yeah, it's getting worse, like you asked. Hope I made it believable enough for you!**

**Also, Sophia's a tad jealous of Beth. How do you want that to proceed?**

**And how do you want Jack to side on the matter of Randall? Dale or Shane?**

**See you next time!**

**SD OUT**


	15. 18 Miles Out Part 2

**Hey, guys!**

**The whole Sophia being jealous thing is more to do with the understanding glances between the two; they know what the other is going through. Sophia is misinterpreting that, though. Or is she?**

**Let's get started!**

**Chapter 14**

I laid weakly with my head resting against the pillow. My headache had abated for the moment; who knows how long that'll be, and the fever was temporarily cooled down, so I could enjoy some respite before it started up again. My breath was easy and measured now, and my throat no longer had Chinese Burns running down it. I sighed carefully and took a sip of water from the glass on my left (my right arm was in a sling so I didn't move it too much and make the shoulder worse).

My mind was filled with memories of the old days, before everything went to shit. The day of Riley's birth for one. Dad had called Granda after she was born, then the old man showed up and drove him to the pub. We didn't hear from him for two days. When we did, well... Grandma did her shit.

I was chuckling at the thought of her 'Magic Slipper' flying up those stairs to whack him on the head when somebody knocked on the door and a familiar blonde head poked through.

"Hey," Beth greeted kindly, coming over. "Thought I should... pay a visit?" I gave her a warm smile and she returned it, sitting on the chair. "How you feelin'?"

I shrugged with my left arm and replied dully, "Tired. Boiling. Freezing. Headbanging, but mostly bored. As. Hell." She giggled slightly as I hit my head against the board with each word. "And you? You okay?" I noticed the small fidget and the squirk of the mouth but she covered it up quickly.

Beth told me calmly, "Better. I've kinda got over most of it now. It was all just... such a shock, y'know? For the past month and a half my dad's been telling us, 'They're just sick. The government'll hand out cures in no time. 'Til then, we just keep 'em out of harm's way.' Now..."

"Yeah..."

We both gave each other an understanding smile simultaneously and held the gaze, looking at each other with an emotion I couldn't quite understand. I don't think either of us noticed the length of time that had passed until the door opened.

"Hey J-" Sophia started, but stopped after seeing Beth, who quickly cleared her throat, wished me well and left. My girlfriend exhaled tiredly. "Sorry. Didn't know you had company."

Her voice was... hard? Bitter? It was hard to put my finger on but it wasn't good. But why? What happened?

"What's wrong?" I asked concernedly, and Sophia bit her lip before giving me a fake smile.

She replied lightly, "Nothing!" and took Beth's seat, bringing it in and sitting right next to me. "Just worried about you. Mom said Daryl told her it was gettin' worse." Something was off. Sophia was bullshitting me. The smile she gave me as she took my hand was fake as hell, so I didn't return it. "You okay?" she asked, sounding a little hurt.

"_I'm _alright, Soph," I said. "But _you're_ not. Somethin's on your mind. What is it?" She bit her lip again and sighed, glancing at the ceiling.

"I _am_ okay, Jack," she reassured me, her voice sincere. "I'm just... ah, forget it. It's stupid."

I laughed and tightened my grip on her hand. "Sophia, if there's one thing you are not, it's stupid, okay? Whatever it is, you can tell me about it, no matter what." She looked down guiltily.

"Honestly, it's just silly girl hormones. Time of the month, y'know?"

I backtracked at that.

"Ah!" I caught myself. "Right. Okay, um-"

Sophia stood up. "I shouldn't have said anything. Sorry, you're tryin' to rest. Look, I'll see you later?"

She pecked me on the cheek and exited hurriedly. My eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

What was all that about?

* * *

Weirdly, nothing had happened. The fever, the headaches, they seemed to be receding gradually. I was grateful, though. I'm not complaining. Please, recede to your heart's content, nobody's stopping you!

Hershel threw his hands up in the air gratefully. "Seems like your okay to move about, but not too much!" he warned me. "Just keep treatin' yourself well and it oughta go away. In the meantime, though, I would check on your girlfriend. Seems really uptight about somethin'." He was giving me this look like, 'You know what I'm talkin' 'bout!' But I didn't!

"Yeah," I agreed. "I'll go ask Carol. Maybe she'll know what's up."

Hershel just chuckled humourously as I left, as though he'd never understand how kids were so oblivious.

* * *

I walked through the farm, enjoying the warm beat on my back as I neared the RV. I gave Dale our regular one-finger salute and asked if he knew where Carol was.

"Right in here!" called a voice from inside. I nodded to Dale and entered. When the grey-haired woman saw me she gave me a tight hug. "Jack! How are you feeling?"

After she let go I replied, "Fine. It's just, Sophia's been acting weird. Suppose you could say... cold? Figured you might know what's wrong." Carol smirked and shook her head amusedly.

"How do I explain it?" she murmured playfully. "You know how after the... incident at the barn you and Beth tended to help each other with what happened?" I nodded confusedly. Where did this get us? "Well, I want you to understand that this is a natural thing when you're in a relationship, but when the guy tends to spend a lot of time with another _girl_, the girl he's with can misinterpret that and get a little jealous."

My head reared back and I narrowed my eyebrow, my mouth a perfect 'o'. I stuttered, "Sophia... j-jealous? O-of Beth?" Carol nodded with another amused smirk. "She th-thinks we... but that's just... ri-rid-ridiculous!" Carol tittered a little, shaking her head again as she put down a cloth I didn't know she was holding.

She put her hands on my shoulders. "I know it is," she said. "I've watched the two of you and while yes there a potential for something to happen-" I tried to protest but a finger landed immediately on my lip. "- there are too many things in the way of that. You are both in a relationship with other people, you have an almost three-year split between you, both I and Hershel would kill you... need I go on?" I shook my head. "Good. Now, don't worry about Sophia; she'll either get over it or she'll confront you. But don't dwell on it. Okay?" I smiled and nodded. "Okay," she muttered as she nodded back and patted my shoulder. "Now, go on. Find Carl or something. Take your mind off of everything."

As I left I stopped at the door. I turned and smiled gratefully, "Thanks, Carol."

* * *

My best friend was sitting by the stables fingering the dirt, his fringe flickering up under his sheriff hat with the cool wind. A braying sounded inside the structure near him, and I heard him chuckle at it as I came over, hand resting on the grip of the Beretta 92SB Nickel (the silver pistol). Shane had told me of the weapon's name so I was frustrated over calling it a Beretta. I was still a little attached to my previous Beretta but for now I'd settle for calling it the Nickel. So my hand was resting on the grip of my Nickel as I walked over to the younger Grimes, who smirked his greeting before shuffling over the log. I sat next to him and chuckled before tipping the hat up.

He laughed a little in reply, complaining, "You always do that." I smirked right back at him, a smug edge to it. I nudged his shoulder before speaking.

"I know I do. But what you gonna do about it, Grimes?" I teased and he scoffed.

He stuck his tongue in his cheek, asking, "Why haven't I already killed you?" I pretended to think for a minute, finger on chin before sighing and looking him in the eye.

"Because I'm just that awesome," I decided playfully, flipping my hair away. It was shorter than before, but still quite longer than my friend's. He grinned and we laughed for a bit. "Or 'cause I'd haunt yo bitch ass," I suggested with a matching grin and a 'gangsta' voice. Carl was struggling not to laugh after a second. I'd stopped and now he was freaking me out.

After a while I lost it. "Okay, what the fu-... the hell are you still laughin' at?!" I exclaimed but he just sniggered and pointed behind me. I glared at him confusedly before turning around.

Oh shit.

T-Dog was standing with his arms crossed, eyebrow raised.

"You tryin'a say somethin', little man?"

* * *

**Sorry, but I couldn't resist putting that last part in. Of course T-Dog knows he isn't being racist, but it's fun to mess with the poor boy's head, and Dog knows it.**

**Deepest apologies for the longer-than-usual update and I have no excuse other than I just didn't feel like it.**

**Should Sophia come to her senses and just forget everything or do you want a confrontation (without Beth)?**

**I've been thinking about bringing back someone else, and just saying that Jack killed the wrong person. It will not be a member of the Old Group but it is someone from before McKenzie's past and it has been a confirmed kill. Do you want another resurrection?**

**Also, should Shane be as aggressive and hostile to Jack as he is to Dale (unless he agrees with him on Randall)?**

**And should Dale come to Jack for advice on Randall? Should Jack be allowed at the meeting, considering he is mature enough to deal with the situation? Or should Rick ask him to stay with Carl?**

**One last thing: I'm sorry but I feel like Dale has to die at that particular point, just like Hershel has to die during the Governor's last attack on the prison. These are just plot points that I cannot change as it would be pointless for them to die at any other time. Also, I really don't like TV Andrea so she'll be offed at Woodbury. Comic Andrea is a much better character and I don't really see why the writers portrayed her as a dumbass bitch on TV who only exists to make stupid decisions when the Comic version conveys a sniper who can actually be trusted and has a meaningful plot to her. Just stupid.**

**Anyways, rant over. See you guys next time.**

**SD OUT**


	16. Who Are You?

**Hey, guys!**

**Let's get started.**

**Chapter 15**

Riley giggled as Carol fed her, trying to take some milk and spit it as far as she could once the bottle was removed. Some kind of game or something, I don't know. But it was definitely a waste. After smiling a little I walked over and gave Carol a smile, gently taking my sister and the bottle and rocking her slightly. She stopped giggling and grinned, showing off her growing teeth, as white as the milk she was 'drinking'. I felt my own features soften. This was my sister. My blood. The same blood that ran through me, it ran through her. Nudging the fringe away I pecked my baby sis on the forehead, same way as I always did when she wanted something she couldn't have. Being the smart little girl she is Riley cocked her head to the side, gurgling, "Buvva. Miwk, peez."

I chuckled to myself. This girl was persistent. Looking up, I caught her wide eyes and pouting lips. Damn. The soft glisten in her blue orbs made my knees shaky with protectiveness and the cute jutting of her lower lip plucked at my heart cords. I gave her a gentle smile and murmured, just loudly enough for her to hear, "Okay, but you have to drink it. No spitting. It's not nice." Riley licked her lips and nodded eagerly. Alright, she better not. I ambivalently put the bottle to her mouth and she immediately suckled at the rubber, squeezing milk out viciously with her eyes closed.

My thoughts wandered to Randall. Rick and Shane were idiots enough to bring him back here. Stupid; longer he was here, the more dangerous he was, regardless of his age. Figured I'd have stuck that into Rick's head by now, especially after the business with the Old Group. I was twelve, and I was torturing people. Rapists and killers, yeah, but he didn't see it; he wouldn't know how it felt. And it was to get Riley back, but he's never had Carl taken by the previously mentioned rapists and killers. He would see it as a child killing people and not giving an inch-long shit, left to rot so long it'd turned white. Then again, he knew me. He knew what I was capable of; I didn't try to hide it. Randall was a complete unknown. Okay, he knew Maggie, even if she didn't know he even existed, but if they'd just left him there he'd either be gutted and torn apart or he'd wander around and find another group. But oh no, it was obvious he'd find his own people. They probably had a tracking device on him or some shit. Gits.

Once my wrist got wet I snapped myself out of it and pulled the bottle away from Riley. She swallowed and laughed at the milk running off my forearm. Her head bobbed from side to side as she sang, "Buvva wet! Buvva wet! Buvva wet!" then just laughed again. I glared at her and sat her down on my chair, wiping the milk on my jeans as everyone sniggered at my predicament. A small smirk made its way unbidden to the corner of my lips, causing me to eventually let a breath of laughter out as well. I picked up Riley and sat back on the chair, and she kept bouncing her head backwards onto my chest randomly.

"So," Carol started seriously once the laughter had died down. "What's the plan?"

Andrea asked disbelievingly, "_Is_ there a plan?"

"Can we just keep him here?" suggested Glenn.

Rick took a deep breath, Shane beside him, playing with his belt. He told us tiredly, "We'll know soon enough." He was sounding tired an awful lot lately, ever since he and Shane had come back from the school. Whatever happened between the two had resulted in a fight, judging by the fistscars on both of their faces. Then Daryl came marching up to camp, crossbow over his shoulder.

The first thing I noticed about the hunter was the fact that every one of his knuckles was bloody. Even from this distance I saw the red blotches over his hands. Guess the 'talk' didn't go so well.

"Boy there's got a gang," he announced in his deep redneck accent. "Thirty men. They got heavy artillery and they ain't lookin' to make friends. Apparently some guys came through their old camp... tortured then murdered two of their own, killed a few others and burned the leader alive. Grabbed the baby they was keepin' and ran off with her. They roll through here... our boys're dead. And our women, they're gonna, they're gonna wish they were," he finished grimly. Rick and I locked eyes. This piece of shit was with Hoyt's group.

Carol asked nervously, "What did you do?" She sounded a little timid as she stared at his hands.

Daryl glanced at his knuckles before replying shortly, "Had a chat."

"No-one goes near this guy," Rick declared. Lori walked up to him.

"Rick," she began. "What are you gonna do?"

The leader though for a moment and sighed sorrowfully before replying firmly, "He's a threat. We have to eliminate the threat."

Dale's face screwed up as he demanded disbelievingly, "You're just gonna kill him?!"

Rick and I looked at each other again (which was missed by no-one) and I nodded resolutely. Everyone saw the act before Rick stated, "It's settled. We'll do it today." Then he walked away, followed immediately by the old man, who began trying to stop him.

"What was that?" Sophia asked me suspiciously, brows narrowed. Despite the seriousness I couldn't help but admire how cute she looked like that. "That little look, the nod. What was it?"

Everyone was staring at me now. I looked down for a bit, debating whether to tell them or not. Could I? They all thought the best of me, that I was a good man. But I'm not. The only group member who knew the animal I could become was Rick, but he'd gone. In that instant I knew I wasn't ready for them to hear.

"Nothing," I muttered quietly before putting a sleeping Riley back in her carrier and walked towards Rick and Dale, leaving the others behind.

When I reached the bickering two I heard Dale argue, "Ther-there's gotta be a-a process."

"And what would that be?" Rick demanded. "We-we can't call witnesses, go before a judge."

"Oh, so he's automatically guilty by association and sentenced to death?!" Dale retorted.

"You have no idea what his people are like!" I hissed at the old man, who stared at me confusedly. "I do."

"Your old group was just like his, so what?! Doesn't mean he's like that! He could be-"

"No!" I shouted, causing the old man to jump. Rick just stared at his feet. "They weren't just like his. Judging from what Daryl said from what happened at their old camp, it's obvious that they were _part_ of my old group!" Dale just narrowed his eyebrows disbelievingly. "That whole bit about some guys sneaking in, killing some, torturing and killing two others, burning the leader alive, taking the baby they had? That was me! Me and Rick!"

Gasps came from behind me and I spun around to the sight of the entire group, eyes wide. Shit.

"Let's all just calm down!" Rick ordered, the took a breath. "Alright, everyone listen up! After the CDC I caught Jack sneakin' out, so I asked where. I got him to tell me he his old group wasn't too far from where we were, and he allowed me to come with, so long as I followed his lead. We got there and there was only one guy on watch. Jack muttered somethin' about him bein' cocky but a coward, then he grabbed him and got him to tell us the layout. Then he killed him."

I felt the eyes on me before Rick continued.

"We went in, killed another, then there was two brothers in the next room. Apparently they were the biggest rapists in the group. Uh... Job and Mickey I think?" I nodded. "We knocked them out, sat them on chairs and tied them up, back to back. After some... persuasion... they told us where Riley was. Jack did what he had to and we moved on. When we got to the back it was just Hoyt, the leader. He was... _cooin'_ over Riley. She really didn't like him, by the sounds she was makin'."

Some pockets of humour sounded over the mass at my side and I took up Rick's slack, still looking at the ground and face stil emotionless.

"I knocked out Hoyt and chained him to the wall. Packed up Riley's stuff and poured petrol ower him, then he woke up. He tossed some insults, I quoted some Die Hard, dropped a lighter on him and watched as the son of a bitch burned like a fuckin' barbeque. We got Riley and left."

Once I was finished I looked up. T-Dog looked like he didn't know what to make of it, Carol, Lori and Dale had astonishment written all over their faces, Shane seemed proud, Daryl looked surprised and a little impressed, my Dad's mouth was wide open, Andrea was unreadable and Carl was impressed, surprised, disbelieving, and a little afraid. But Sophia...

Sophia's mouth was open, her eyebrows high, she was trembling as though every word we'd said hurt her physically, and her eyes were glistening with tears.

She was the first to walk away from me.

...

I slowly slipped into my tent, face twitching nervously at the sight of my girlfriend sitting in the corner, tapping her knee and humming a random tune as I bit my lip. Shit, she totally hated me now. I exhaled and sat next to her.

After a while she muttered, "Why?" The tone of Sophia's voice caught me off-guard. It wasn't hurt or warm or gentle or hateful or angry or any of that. There wasn't any. It was just a cold, heartless demand. "Why did you torture them? Why did you execute them?"

I sighed and replied, "You know why. They... they raped girls. Children. Murdered people. Stole from them. They were dangerous, Soph, and I couldn't let them come after my family again."

Her head snapped to me and she looked pissed. She hissed, _"You burned a man alive!"_

I nodded, looking down. "I'm not proud of it," I admitted painfully, then my voice got a hard edge to it. "But let me tell you something: if there's one thing I'm certain of, it's that I will never, _ever_ regret it. He deserved it."

She glared at me and got to her feet, walking to the other side of the room and hugging herself. I stood as well and heard the sound I'd been dreading.

She was crying.

I took a step forward, hoping my next action didn't destroy our relationship forever. I placed a hand on her shoulder.

Immediately she spun around and slapped it off, pushing me away. Her eyes were full of tears, her face red with horror and disbelief, like she didn't know who I was.

"Jack..." she begged tearfully. "Who are you?"

Then Sophia ran out the tent and left me alone, leaving me with one question.

Who am I?

...

**So the truth has out to the entire group, and Sophia is dealing harder with it than the others.**

**Was her reaction justified? Or overdone?**

**What did you think of Dave, Tony and Randall being members of the Old Group?**

**How do you want the others to treat Jack? Should he replace Merle as the pariah (outcast) of the group and become colder to everyone? Or should they be shocked but understanding? We all know Rick won't treat him any different.**

**With this new information how do you want Jack to side on the matter?**

**Also, I have three takes on the Jack/Rick relationship: 1: the father/son thing goes on as he and Carl become like brothers, 2: he becomes more of a lieutenant, just under Daryl or 3: both. I'm kinda leaning towards 3 but it's really up to you guys.**

**See you guys next chappie!**

**SD OUT**


	17. I'm With Shane on this One

**Hey, guys!**

**Sorry, this is actually chapter 15, I just got the numbers mixed up after chapter 3. Not copying and pasting, then sorting it all out cos I'm a lazy bastard. Apologies 2 those with OCD!**

**Let's get started.**

**Chapter 15**

I sat by the pond near the farm. It wasn't too far away so if anyone wanted to find me, they'd just have to put an effort in. The place was picturesque: the lightened blue of the water, the orange sun shining off it, the lush green grass a few feet tall, up to about my head as I sat, a couple of fluffy white clouds passed me by, the gentle wind guiding them on their way. Where would they stop? Would they just keep going on?

Ah!

I slapped my forearm and took my hand away to see a squished mosquito, insect fluids leaking out onto my skin. I quickly wiped it away and leaned forward, dipping my arm into the pond to wash away the fluids. After a while I sighed, tapping my knee. My thoughts had left me indignant to Sophia's accusations; yes, I took it too far with the Old Group but she was overreacting. And what right did she have to scathingly imply me to be a monster? She had never met them, never been betrayed by people she trusted.

But on the other hand, part of me agreed with her. I knew I would do things in the future I couldn't ever imagine myself doing. I knew blood would flow and flesh would be torn. A kaleidoscope of images flashed through my mind, each act more horrible than the last. What I am now is nothing compared to what I will be.

A rustle nearby and I snapped my head to it, suddenly tensed and alert like a wolf. My hand neared my Nickel as I rose slightly, then blonde hair burst through the grass.

"Oh! Hi, Sophia," I mumbled surprisedly, sitting back down. Even out of the corner of my eye I noticed she was tense as she sat next to me, arms around her knees and facing the water. An awkward silence filled the air, occasionally breaking with the chirping of the birds or the splash of the water as a fish leaped out and back in. Eventually I inquired politely, "You okay?"

Sophia bit her lip. "Yeah," she replied quietly. "Just... I'm sorry." Her voice was so soft and so fragile that I wondered if I'd actually heard her speak.

"What for?" I asked, just as softly. "Nothin' to be sorry about." We locked eyes and I saw her grimacing slightly.

"I wasn't there."

Then she up and left.

* * *

I marched up to the shack they had locked Randall in and told Andrea, "I want to speak to him." No bullshitting; I wanted this over with. I needed this.

She looked down. "Sorry, Jack," she apologised, sounding it. "But I can't let anyone in. Especially you and Shane."

I rolled my eye and placed my knife and guns on the ground. Andrea raised a brow and sighed tiredly.

"Alright," she conceded, shaking her head. "But I'll be watching you from out here, so don't try anything."

When I stepped in I immediately glared at the beaten sack of shit slumped on the ground, chained by the wrists to the wall and a lot of cuts and bruises. Quite frankly, I couldn't care less about the red or the blue or the purple; to me he was just a pedophile and a murderer, and that was all he was. He looked up and his face lit excitedly, like he'd found a prize, or more realistically, like a lying snake. He had no balls, no backbone.

Fucking coward.

I made sure the shadows hid my eyepatch and the scars on my right cheek, appearing like just another kid without my weapons. To be honest, while I knew I wouldn't need them I felt naked without them. The grin on his face made me want to puke.

"Hey, there," he greeted, or rather, cooed. I resisted punching him for his assumption of my harmlessness. His voice was soft, but hopeful and condescending. "What's your name? I-I'm Randall."

"I know," I snarled, though he didn't notice. "Jack McKenzie."

"Good. That's a nice name." My fist curled. "Y'know, I don't know what they're saying about me, b-but that, that bald guy? What's his name, uh... Shane? I'm nothing like he says. My people either. We're not bad folks. Just ordinary people, like you."

I snorted. "Yeah, and I'm the Queen of England." Randall gulped noticeably.

"Look, I'm not lyin' to ya. Y-ya family here? Mom? Dad? Brothers or sisters?"

I kicked his right leg and he exclaimed in pain.

"Dad. One sister. Mum died the first day. Other sister died earlier on. Your people killed my brother." He gulped again.

"I-I'm really sorry t-to hear that." Bull-fucking-shit. "Still, I'm not like that. We've suffered losses, too. Some crazy guy killed about half our guys at our old camp, kidnapped the baby we had. Just shows what some psycho can do, huh?"

I smirked sadistically and kicked his leg again.

"Yeah, especially when that baby..." I stepped into the stream of light. "Is his sister."

Randall saw my face; my eye, my scars, the look of hatred I bore and swallowed deeply.

"Yo-you know him? He's here?"

My smirk extended. "Oh, aye. In fact..."

I crouched down and leaned in, until our faces were inches from each other.

"You're looking right at him."

Randall's eyes widened and his breaths became short and laboured.

"I know what you're like. I know what you do. I was there once. Me, Dad, Davie, Job, Mickey and _Hoyt_," I spat in his face. "We came across a family. Job and Mickey raped the little girls, then Hoyt killed them all. Killed my brother when he stood up for them. We ran, grabbed Natalie and left. Had to leave Riley behind. Natalie died, I found this group, killed Hoyt and the others, got Riley, and now here we are."

I looked up and down his shivering form before headbutting him, knocking the son-of-a-bitch out. Standing up I spat on the sickening bastard and left, nodding to Andrea on my way.

As I stomped down the path I heard Shane tell Carl, "Look, man, this... this is grown-up stuff, a'ight? Just, just let us handle this."

"Why's Jack allowed, then?" Carl insisted indignantly. I inwardly sighed as I watched them. "He's not that much older than me."

"Because," Shane started exasperatedly. "He's got his little sister to look out for. Despite his dad bein' here Jack's in charge of his family. Also, he's dealt with these people before, and he knows them best."

"Well, then..." Carl sighed defeatedly, then spotted. "Hey! Speak of the devil!" I wolfishly grinned and walked over.

I tipped his hat up. "Hey, man. Shane." My voice flattened at the final word. "What you tryin' to do?"

"Just get in and see Randall. See what we're dealin' with here, but Shane won't let me." He gestured to the adult, as though he expected me to change his mind.

I chuckled, shaking my head. "We're dealin' with a coward. He's a snake, he's already tried to convince me to let him go."

"Yeah, and he's dangerous," Shane cut me off, brows raised expectantly as he jerked his head to Carl. "Can't take the risk."

Carl and I simultaneously nodded, agreeing with the muscular cop. He smiled and left, walking towards Andrea. My best friend turned to me.

"Hey, uh..." he started nervously. Oh, god. I was afraid of this. "Y'know, I... I don't think you're a bad guy. For what you did."

I looked up and saw him giving me a brotherly smile, and I felt one making its way onto my own mouth.

"If that stuff happened to me, I'd, I'd... hell, I don't know what I'd do. But it wouldn't be good. Still, you're a little scarier now, but in the end you're still my best friend. So, yeah..."

I breathed gratefully. "Thanks, man. Really appreciate it. By the way, you're not my best friend." Carl looked downcast and I placed my hand on his shoulder.

"You're my brother."

* * *

"Riles, stop it," I laughed, playfully nudging my baby sister's tiny hand away from my cheek. She just giggled.

"Nnnnno!" she replied happily, eyes twinkling with mischief. I sighed humourously and sat on the base of the tent and smirked; she couldn't get me here!

Riley reached for me and reached for me, pouting adorably after giving up.

"D'aww!" I cooed, rubbing her cheek and putting one finger in her curled fist. "No pout!"

She gurgled with laughter as an old man with a white beard ducked into the tent.

"Hey, Jack," Dale greeted, giving Riley that grandfatherly smile. "And hello to you, gorgeous. You been annoying your big brother? Yeah?"

"Yeh!" Riley giggled. "Annoy buvva!"

"Yeah," he agreed, grinning. "Listen, Jack, I'm not gonna give you a hard time for doing what you did. It's in the past and it's not my place to judge, despite how I feel about it. But, well..." he trailed off awkwardly.

"What?" I asked confusedly. Dale sighed and gathered his balls.

"Look, I know you have a bad history with Randall's group..." Oh, for fuck's sake. "... but I need you to stand with me here. He's still just a kid. Still has his entire life to change his ways. In fact, I didn't want to say this, but I don't really see that much difference."

My head snapped up. How fucking dare he?

"Excuse me?" I said quietly, the dangerous undertone causing Dale to look down and rethink his words. "I don't rape girls half my age. I don't steal people's supplies and kill them off just for kicks. What I did to the Old Group, I did to save my sister, so don't you fucking _dare_ suggest I'm like them!"

Dale looked remorseful and was about to apologise when I cut him off.

"I get it: you're sorry. But that doesn't change a damn thing. I would kill Randall myself if I had the opportunity. But Rick's the leader of this group. He's in charge. He makes the decisions. If he lets Randall go, fine. But if he wants Randall executed, I'll be giving the bastard his last rites!"

Dale looked down and I calmed myself.

"Sorry," I muttered. "Shouldn't have blown up like that. But my mind is set. You've got a good heart, Dale, but I'm telling you here and now; you're wrong. I'm with Shane on this one."

The old man nodded respectfully and gave me a kind smile after a minute.

"Okay," he relinquished, patting my shoulder. "Dinner's soon, you should come and grab some."

"Yes, sir," I replied as Dale left. Good Lord, I'm using polite language now.

Glasgwegians don't use 'yes' or 'thank you'. We say 'aye' or 'cheers'.

"Yes, sir," I muttered under my breath, shaking my head.

I felt my brain giving me a wanker sign.

* * *

**Ha! Wanker sign! I've wanted to use that line for a while.**

**Sorry for the length of time, but I've hit a Yu-Gi-Oh phase. Right now I'm probably watching Yu-Gi-Oh GX or something. I used to watch it when I was younger but the channel only showed random episodes and cut it off after I saw about 10 episodes. There's over 120, so you can see why I want to finish it off before heading back to school.**

**Oh, Christ. School.**

**Anyways, we're not dwelling on that.**

**WHO CAN GUESS WHERE I GOT THE 'WANKER SIGN' LINE FROM? Hint: It's also my favourite comedian!**

**See you guys next time!**

**SD OUT**


	18. AN: DO YOU WANT AN HP BOOK READ?

**SORRY BUT THIS IS NOT AN UPDATE**

**DO YOU WANT ME TO CREATE A HARRY POTTER CROSSOVER SET IN 5TH YEAR WHERE EITHER HOGWARTS OR THE ORDER READS SEASON 1?**

**IF SO JUST REVIEW WITH WHO YOU WANT TO READ IT. IF NOT SAY YOU DON'T WANT IT**

**ALSO I AM TAKING A SHORT HIATUS UNTIL IT IS OVER. I PLAN ON MAKING ONE FOR EACH SEASON IF YOU WANT**

**LATER**

**SD OUT**


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